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Title
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Corstorphine Hill Local Nature Reserve
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Address
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Clermiston Road North
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Postcode
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EH12 6UP
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Telephone
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0131 529 2401
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Email
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naturalheritageservice@edinburgh.gov.uk
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Facilities
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Natural Heritage Service, Orienteering course, Waymarked Route, Interpretation panels, Car park, Orienteering, Walled Garden, Seating
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Background
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Corstorphine Hill Local Nature Reserve is a natural heritage park with large areas of mature woodland and grassland. At its highest point 531 feet (161 metres) visitors get stunning views of the city. On a clear day you can see the summit of Ben Lomond in the west, exceptional views of the Forth Estuary and Fife to the north, to the east central Edinburgh , the Lammermuir Hills and flatter terrain of East Lothian and to the south the rolling backdrop of the Pentland Hills. The park has been awarded a Green Flag since 2010, in recognition of it being a quality greenspace.
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History and heritage
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Corstorphine Hill Tower, also known as Clermiston Tower or the Scott Tower, is a memorial to Sir Walter Scott. You may find cup-markings on the west slopes of the Hill. They were probably part of a sacred landscape of Neolithic or Bronze Age, from about 3600 to 1500 BC, but their precise purpose remains unknown. Artefacts were also found nearby.
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Wildlife
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This is a mature woodland site, where you will find mostly oak and birch. You will also see areas of open ground consisting of bare rock, and grassland. While out exploring Corstorphine Hill you may see foxes, badgers and buzzards and look closely for nationally and regionally important flora like small balsam, lords and ladies, spring beauty and common spotted orchid.
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Geology
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The Hill is a Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphologic Site (RIGS) because the rocks and other interesting landforms are easily accessible. This complements earlier designations: Edinburgh's Green Belt, Area of Great Landscape Value, Nature Conservation Site and Listed Wildlife Site.
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Orienteering
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There is a permanent orienteering course here, which is accessible at all times. Map packs can be bought for £2.50 from the Hermitage Visitor Centre in the Hermitage of Braid, from the Visitor Centre at Cammo Lodge, or through the website of Edinburgh Southern Orienteering Club (www.esoc.org.uk)
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Organise an event
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Find out how to organise an event
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Getting involved
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Friends of Corstorphine Hill
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Green flag
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Yes
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Management plan
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Corstorphine management plan
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Location map
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55.957417037360365,-3.2759857177734375
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Trees
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The Clermiston group
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Image
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