West Kip, a 551m sharp pointed hill with an almost conical summit, forms a prominent part of the Pentland Hills silhouette.

Leaving the car at Nine Mile Burn, eight of us made our way steadily upwards towards Monks Rig or ridge, part of an old pilgrimage route that once stretched from Newhall Monastery to South Queensferry. The ridge path, waymarked for Balerno, appears well used. As we climbed towards Cap Law, we stumbled upon the Font Stane, a roughly shaped block of gritstone believed by some to be the base for a medieval cross rather than a baptismal font. Whatever its purpose, it must have taken a Herculean effort to have transported such a heavy block of stone to such a remote location. Today it’s full of coins from passers-by, perhaps placed there for good luck on their onward journey or as a token in hope that a wish made might come true. 

As we reached the crown of Cap Law, 497m, views opened up in both directions. Behind us the purple smudge of the Moorfoot hills in the direction of Peebles. In front of us the hazy outline of the Ochils north of Alloa. Pausing for refreshments at the base of West Kip, we contemplated the short but steep ascent to the summit as a farmer whizzed by in his buggy, border collie in tow, perhaps enroute to round up some of the hefted blackfaced sheep.

The route to the top of the kip was aided by indentations, step like, created by previous walkers whose footsteps are slowly eroding the hillside. The views from the summit were worth the exertion. A 360-degree panorama, in surprisingly sharp focus considering it had been trying to rain on and off all morning. Of particular note, the feint dark line of paths linking West Kip, East Kip, Scald Law and Carnethy Hill, fifty shades of green, and the views along the valley to the glittering jewels of Loganlea and Glencorse Reservoirs.