What difficulty is Black Hill?

On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Black Hill comes in at 1/5 — easy. Underfoot: Farm tracks and stiles low down, then sheep pasture and a few clumps of gorse on the climb.

What is Black Hill's prominence?

171m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Black Hill to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.

When is the best time to climb Black Hill?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Black Hill. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.

Is Black Hill dog-friendly?

Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.

By Gary Innes

Photo: Iain Lees / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Borders

Black Hill

This Black Hill is the 314m roadside Marilyn near Earlston in the NT-prefix Berwickshire borderlands. Low and approachable, but with enough prominence above the Leader and Gala valleys to provide a genuine top.

Quick facts

Height: 314m/ 1030ft
Prominence: 171 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NT 58549 37011
Nearest city: Edinburgh· 49km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).

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Standard route

grass moorland 65% · heather 25% · boggy ground 10%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

A short walk from minor roads near Earlston follows farm tracks before a steep but brief grassy climb to the summit. Around 4km return, 1-2 hours.

Terrain

Farm tracks and stiles low down, then sheep pasture and a few clumps of gorse on the climb. A small cairn marks the top.

In winter

A quick winter outing at low altitude — passable even in poor weather, though gates and stiles can ice up after a hard frost.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Black Hill. SAIS forecasts six areas only — Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber, Glencoe and Torridon — and this hill is outside all of them, so there is no avalanche forecast to read for it. In winter, use MWIS Southern Uplands ↗ for mountain weather, judge snow stability from first principles, and treat any cornice or wind-loaded slope with extra caution.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow4h 9m
Edinburgh2h 36m

OS maps: OS Landranger 73, OS Landranger 74, OS Explorer 338, OS Explorer 339W

Mobile signal: Good. Scottish Borders; EE solid. Vodafone also works on this summit.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

16h 41mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 05:39
Sunset: 20:53
Civil dawn: 04:55
Civil dusk: 21:36

NOAA Solar Calculator · 13 August 2026

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Around Black Hill on the SCOT network

Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Tweedbank station

Borders Railway terminus; Eildon Hills, Melrose, Tweed Valley

4km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

Black Hill — common questions

What difficulty is Black Hill?: On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Black Hill comes in at 1/5 — easy. Underfoot: Farm tracks and stiles low down, then sheep pasture and a few clumps of gorse on the climb.
What is Black Hill's prominence?: 171m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Black Hill to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.
When is the best time to climb Black Hill?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Black Hill. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
Is Black Hill dog-friendly?: Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
Is there mobile signal on Black Hill?: Good. Scottish Borders; EE solid. Vodafone also works on this summit.
Is Black Hill safe in winter?: A quick winter outing at low altitude — passable even in poor weather, though gates and stiles can ice up after a hard frost.

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