Galachlaw is a small hill and woodland surrounded by modern housing (one of which is mine!). For the past 7 years or so the woods here have been part of our "school run", which in reality is a really pleasant 1/2 mile walk! Despite its small size, its an attractive woodland with some impressive beech, oak and scots pine trees. In the spring we regularly hear (and see) great spotted woodpeckers drumming away to mark their territories. Grey squirrels are very common (there are 100s!), buzzards can be seen overhead, and tawny owls can often be heard at night. Roe dear have been known to frequent the area too (I've seen them very close to my Mortonhall Army Camp cache).
It was a very different place in the summer of 1650. Oliver Cromwell and more than 16,000 of his troops encamped on Galachlaw during his campaigns in the region. The camp was occupied on the 13th-14th August, and again from 18th-27th August. It was also re-occupied by him briefly in June 1651. Cromwell is said to have camped close to the summit, with his troops in the fields below.
For all the trigpointers amongst you, Galachlaw used to have one! In 1946, there was a cairn with an OS triangulation point. It was said to be well preserved, and the remains of a kerb were clearly visible. By 1953, the summit was a circular symmetrical mound, 13m in diameter and 1.6m high. No kerb stones were visible and there was one upright stone near the top of the mound, thickly covered with bracken and undergrowth. By 1975, the stone in the centre could not be located.
Anyway, on to the cache. I had some grand plans to make this one more interesting (including a tree trail and/or a treasure map), however I ran out of time (and daylight!) leading up to Christmas - sorry! I have included waypoints for parking (the same as for Mortonhall Army Camp), and the summit itself (still no sign of the cairn/trig point!). Watch out for dogwalkers while searching for the cache - they can appear from nowhere!