Tinto Hill, South Lanarkshire Scotland
Created | Updated Mar 2, 2004
Tinto Hill 1 is the largest in a small group of hills called the Tinto hills or `hills of fire`. The name hills of fire derives from the exposed red felsite rock that can be seen near the summit. The Tinto range can be found 5 miles south of the town of Lanark, South Lanarkshire Scotland. (OS Map Grid Ref NS953343 OS 1:50,000 Landranger Map 72 )
How To Get There
The main road the A73 Biggar Road skirts past to the east of Tinto. The nearest motorway, the M74 is only 7 miles to the west of these hills, and provides easy access by coming off at junction 13 (Abington) or junction 11 (Happendon). If you come off at junction 11, follow the A70 for 5 Miles east to join the A73 and head south for 2 miles to reach the carpark. There is no offramp southbound at junction 12, but you can use junction 12 if you`re northbound. Come off and turn right onto the A70 for 6 miles and join the A73 south for 2 miles to reach the carpark. Nearest train station is in town of Lanark with a train service to and from Glasgow.
Parking
This can be found just off the A73 at the Thankerton junction, take the unlit road past the farm and outhouses for 200m, which leads to the gravel car park. Refreshments can be bought at the Tinto Hill tea room which opened in the 1930`s. The tea room is next to the car park entrance and run by Mrs McIntyre. You can get a meal here which is good value for money. Do remember as the weather can sometimes be unkind to anyone who ventures out into the hills and mountains be sure to take clean dry socks as they don`t sell new clean socks in the tearoom.
The Walk
A climb to the top of this Tinto Hill is well worth it, and many people of all ages climb to the top of this grass and heather covered hill. This hill is a very popular one and many people have climbed Tinto and find they get the hill climbing bug. To do this walk you will require good strong shoes, as the route follows a well defined but stony path which has short steep sections, be prepared for what the weather
will throw at you up there. Walking time is around 2 hours to the top, and about 1 hour 45 minutes to return back to the carpark.
Leave the carpark and pass through the gate and remember that you are crossing farmland at this point and you may meet the odd sheep as well as a few rabbits, please keep gates as you find them and if you have to open one please close them again. Head up the well kept path and you will pass the concentric remains of an Iron age fort on your left with a small group of Scots pine trees at the back. Not much is left of the fort to view and people do pass these grass bumps thinking that they must be giant mole hills. There is a large cairn made of loose stones at the top of Tinto Hill with a guide to help pick out other hills that can been seen from the top.
A sedimentary rock mix (which has been scraped by Glaciers 10,000 years ago) gives this Graham
2
Classified hill a height of 711m. From the top you will be able to see many towns and cities in the central low lands of Scotland. The lower hill of Scaut Hill 586m can be taken into your walk if you dont mind a trip to Scaut Hill top and back to the main path. This would add around 40 minutes to your total route time. Return to the carpark by using the same route.
Other Things To Do Here
For those who enjoy fishing there is a Loch 3
. You can fish Loch Lyoch 4 on the western side of Tinto Hill 2 miles along the farm road which took you to the carpark for the start of the hill walk.
Hang gliding has been popular over Tinto Hill for a number of years now and the distance record for a hang gliding flight from within Scotland was broken at Tinto Hill in 1996 , ending south of the border in England. Due to the hills being of SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) the hang gliding club which uses Tinto have an agreement with the relevant body to allow them to fly over the hills.
The SHR (Scottish hill race ) organise a race to the top of Tinto Hill every November and the race record to date is just under 30mins for 4.5 miles. `Tinto is a great muddy autumnal event with a fast hard climb to the top and a bone shaker descent`*
Footnotes
3A Loch is a body of water that has land around its sides, sea lochs have a link to open sea water. A loch is called a lake outside Scotland.
4
Loch Lyoch is a small natural fresh water loch.
