Lomond Hills

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West Lomond from East Lomond

The Lomond Hills (meaning beacon hills) lie in the centre of Fife, Scotland. At 522m West Lomond is the highest point in the county.

The Lomond Hills consist of two prominent peaks, West Lomond and East Lomond (448m), which lie at either end of an escarpment roughly 6.5km in length. The escarpment, made from beds of sandstone and limestone, rises gradually from the south to a plateau of around 350m in height between the peaks of East and West Lomond. To the north and west, this plateau terminates in steep and, in places, cliffy scarp slopes. From its western end, the escarpment continues southwards beyond the deep valley of the Glen Burn to Bishop Hill (461m). The steep sided peaks of East and West Lomond themselves are volcanic in origin. Along the edges of the calciferous sandstone bed at the foot of the scarp slopes are several strangely eroded outcrops, the most famous of which are the Bunnet Stane and John Knox's Pulpit, so named because it is believed to be a spot where covenanters held secret meetings in the 17th Century.

In the past, the Lomond Hills were mined for both limestone and ore, although there are no longer any working quarries there today. On the southwest slopes of East Lomond are the well preserved remains of a limekiln and quarry (in which the fossilised remains of prehistoric sea creatures can be found). From a much earlier period (the Iron Age) are the remains of several hill forts. These can be found around the summits of both East and West Lomond as well as at Maiden Castle, a grassy knoll which lies between the two.

The primary land uses on the Lomond Hills are sheep grazing and commercial forestry (predominantly on the steep north slopes). There are also six reservoirs in the Lomond Hills that were originally constructed to supply water to the rapidly growing mining towns of west Fife. The Lomond Hills lie within the boundaries of Fife Regional Park, renamed the Lomond Hills Regional Park in 2003, and have their own ranger service who work with the landowners on issues such as public access.

The Lomond Hills from the Howe of Fife

Both East and West Lomond can easily be climbed from Craigmead Car Park, which lies between the two at a height of around 300m. Alternative routes exist from the Bunnet Stane, the village of Falkland and the car park at the masts, high on East Lomond. The views from both summits, due to their prominence, are magnificent, stretching from the Highlands to the Borders, with the sea in the east.

Beneath the northern slopes of the escarpment lies Falkland Estate, an area of forest (now commercial plantation), where Mary Queen of Scots would have hunted whilst staying at nearby Falkland Palace. Two primary rivers run down from the plateau through this forest in impressive gorges. These are the Maspie Burn and the Arraty Burn. The Maspie Den has a path running along its length to an undercut waterfall at the top, which can be accessed just beyond Falkland House.

The hills are very popular with walkers, which has resulted in a considerable amount of footpath erosion that the rangers are taking measures to counteract. As well as walking, there are a number of more unusual recreational activities that take place in the Lomonds. East Lomond, due to the easy access from the high car park, is often used by paragliders on windy days. The Falkland Hill Race is held annually and begins at the fountain in the centre of Falkland village. The competitors must run (or in many cases walk) to the summit of East Lomond before returning to the fountain. The wooded northern slopes of East Lomond also boast a series of downhill mountainbike tracks.