Cockleroy – A Small Hill with a Very Big View
About 4.2 miles on foot.
Beecraigs is a country park of conifer woods and a trout loch in the hills above Linlithgow, and just beyond its western edge is Cockleroy.
It's a small green hill, 278 metres high, and the view from its top is out of all proportion: the Forth, Linlithgow's loch and palace below, and the Ochils across the water. A walk of about four miles links the park's woods with the summit.
- Time
- Two to two and a half hours: 6.75 km, or 4¼ miles, with 131 metres of climb, as Walkhighlands lists it.
- The path
- Well-made paths in the park, then a steep grassy path with steps to the summit.
- Where to start
- At the Beecraigs Country Park visitor centre, south of Linlithgow. Free entry, and the council's list of charges has none for parking.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. From November to January set off by noon.
- Dogs
- On a lead on Cockleroy, which is private farmland.
- Children
- A short, steep hill. The park has an animal attraction and an adventure play area on surfaced paths.
- Before you set out
- Cockleroy is private farmland outside the park: keep to the path.
The walk
Park at the visitor centre of Beecraigs Country Park, in the hills south of Linlithgow. Entry is free, and West Lothian Council's list of charges has none for parking. The visitor centre has a café, but check its hours before counting on lunch. The council waymarks three routes in the park itself, of 3.8, 6.2 and 6.8 km, through the woods and round the trout loch.
Cockleroy is a little further: Walkhighlands lists the round from the park to its summit as 6.75 km, or four and a quarter miles, with 131 metres of climb, and two to two and a half hours. The paths in the park are well made. The hill is climbed on a grassy path with steps near the top, and it's short but steep. On the summit there's a trig point and a view indicator to name what you're looking at: Linlithgow Loch and the Palace, the Forth, and the Ochil Hills beyond.
Cockleroy is private farmland outside the park, so keep to the path and keep dogs on a lead there. The park also has an animal attraction and an adventure play area, both on surfaced paths, which makes this an easy one to share with children too small for the hill. From November to January, set off by noon.
If it rains
The park's surfaced paths under the trees are fine in the rain. The grass path up Cockleroy is steep and slippery when wet, and there's no view in low cloud, so keep the hill for a clear day.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by Pablo Savva via Google