Black Hill is distinguished from the other Pentland Hills by its regular oval shape. This is because it is not formed of volcanic lava and ash, but is a dome-shaped intrusion known as a laccolith, made of a pale rock called felsite. It gets its name from the black colour of its covering of heather. Also the soil is very black which you will find when retrieving the cache.
The top can be approached in 4 ways:-
1. From the Balerno side (park at Threipmuir reservoir) via my cache GC2BD4. From here, head directly for the cache, and you will find a path going most of the way up the side of the hill. In 2011 a new fence has been constructed, so just go along the path a bit more to get around the end of the fence. However, beware of the old fence wires lying on the ground. Veer off to the left once up to the trail. You will know you are correct when you see a wire mesh cage which you will walk to the right of.
2. From Flotterstone via a track (starts at NT 203634) that goes up the SE side of Black hill from the road alongside Glencorse reservoir. Access to the track can be found at the entrance to Logan cottage NT 409634, or from a little further along the road and then across the fields.
3. From either Flotterstone (access via the Logan cottage path) or from Harlaw (via NT 188642) to a path (NT 198643) that goes up the NE ridge and which eventually turns into a track.
4. Straight up! Probably easiest from Harlaw (via the side of the hill at NT 185636). Took me an hour to get to the top.
Why not turn it into a circular walk?