Tinto Hill
Tinto Hill
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- Richard R3 contributionsGreat views, shame about the litterThis was a tough but great walk with fantastic views. We did this late November on a lovely sunny morning that rewarded us with wonderful views. Posted a photo of the litter we collected on way down. Shame that some have no respect for a beautiful part of the world.Visited November 2023Travelled with familyWritten 21 November 2023
- macedonboyGlasgow, United Kingdom185,662 contributionsSteep ClimbTinto Hill is one of those hills that is within easy access from Glasgow. The most popular route is from the main path from the north. We decided that was too boring and decided on the much steeper and rougher southern slopes. The southern approach is just one relentless climb. The views are a bit boring and involves zig-zagging along the slope unless you're determined to head straight up which would be dangerous in places. The north route does give access to a car park and a cafe, while the southern route doesn't have either. Either way, it's a good workoutVisited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 18 January 2024
- Michael P4 contributionsExcellent, straightforward climbVery enjoyable climb with great views from the top. Not a technical climb at all with no significantly steep sections and an easy to follow path. Still a fair distance however - we took 1hr 30 mins to get to the top, but we aren't particularly fit. Currently dry and could easily be done in trainers but I imagine this isn't always the case. As always in Scotland, take a range of clothing to avoid getting caught outVisited August 2024Travelled with familyWritten 18 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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macedonboy
Glasgow, UK185 662 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Tinto Hill is one of those hills that is within easy access from Glasgow. The most popular route is from the main path from the north. We decided that was too boring and decided on the much steeper and rougher southern slopes. The southern approach is just one relentless climb. The views are a bit boring and involves zig-zagging along the slope unless you're determined to head straight up which would be dangerous in places. The north route does give access to a car park and a cafe, while the southern route doesn't have either. Either way, it's a good workout
Written 18 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JMC
1 contribution
Nov 2020
I walk this 2/3 times a week and never get bored with the views. At the moment with the amount of rain it is boggy at the beginning. If you have not done any hillwalking will find hard but very achievable. Car park has been extended, well done South Lanarkshire Council.
Written 27 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael P
4 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Very enjoyable climb with great views from the top. Not a technical climb at all with no significantly steep sections and an easy to follow path. Still a fair distance however - we took 1hr 30 mins to get to the top, but we aren't particularly fit. Currently dry and could easily be done in trainers but I imagine this isn't always the case. As always in Scotland, take a range of clothing to avoid getting caught out
Written 18 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rantin rover
Biggar, UK9 047 contributions
Apr 2013 • Solo
The hill is the second highest in the region ( after Culter Fell) at 707 metres/ 2319 feet high and classed as a “Graham“ in hiking terms. It’s more popular probably due to it’s prominence and accessibility since the starting point is just off the A73 opposite a junction to Thankerton village. Look for the Tinto Hill Tearooms and you will find a reasonably large car park is a few hundred yards along this narrow road.
The route from the north side is well defined and when I visited at the end of April the trail had some muddy sections but overall the surface was stoney and dry. In snow it’s a different story and unless you know the route you may need to depend on following in someone else’s footsteps. On some of the upper parts of the hill I was up to my knees on a previous visit which made it a bit of a slog.
The path climbs steadily with a few slightly steeper sections which might have you breathing a bit heavier. At about 480m or 1600 feet the route passes close to Tortherin Hill cairn, one of a few false summits. The ground levels out for a short distance before climbing again, by which time you should have caught your second wind. At the split in the path the main route veers to the left, whilst an alternative one skirts along the edge of Maurice’s Cleuch, an area where the scree covered slope falls steeply to the base. The latter is probably best given a miss in poor visibility as it is a serious drop if you stray from the path. In good conditions it is fine. Both paths converge in any case as you near the final steeper section to the summit. At the top there is a huge cairn apparently dating back to the Bronze Age and on top of this a plinth has been erected with a directional plate to identify surrounding places of interest. Some of the rocks have also been put together to form wind breaks as it can be breezy up here. I was fortunate on the latest walk to have mainly sunshine and blue skies so there were clear 360 degree views for miles and I had the opportunity to sit in relative calm and have some sandwiches. It had taken about 1 hour to get to the top at a steady pace with some stops for photos and a breather or two! I only saw six others on the ascent and high above a paraglider was enjoying the uplift and getting a bird’s eye view of the area.
It’s usual to return the same path however on this occasion I headed south east between two fences to explore a steeper and less frequented route. The track is not that clear and I just used the fence as a guide. When it reached a stage where the incline was less attractive and scree-like, by chance I spotted a track heading across the face of the hill and followed it for a while as it zigzagged downwards. This eventually faded and I combined sheep tracks and breaks in the heather to pick a way back towards the fence and the base. The fence line is very steep in some sections and it’s not practical to follow it all the way down. When off the steepest part of the hill the lower section became a bit of a cross country trek, up and down little gullies, over walls, across heather moor and fields until finally I reached Eastfield Farm steading. The ground is a bit boggy at places and certainly coming this route you need to have suitable footwear like hiking boots. Following the long farm road to the left leads to the A73 and going left again at the main road eventually leads full circle back to the A72 and the car park. From the farm steading to the car park is roughly four miles and the main road is quite busy meaning that you have to often step into or walk along the grass verges where they exist. It’s amazing how much rubbish you see en route - along with some road kill.
The total route over Tinto Hill and back this way was approximately 7.5 miles. It took me 1 hour 30 minutes roughly to descend to the A73 and the same again to follow the road around. I probably would not retrace my steps down the south side again - even if I could find them - unless transport could be arranged at the A73 as the road walk was not worth the effort and a bit dangerous. There is an “official” route on the south side of the Hill from Wiston Lodge however perhaps it is easier to follow from the base than locate when descending!
The tearooms at the car park on the north side are open irregular hours so you may have to seek refreshments in Biggar or Lanark (the nearby Tinto Hotel at Symington only caters for private/wedding functions now).
The route from the north side is well defined and when I visited at the end of April the trail had some muddy sections but overall the surface was stoney and dry. In snow it’s a different story and unless you know the route you may need to depend on following in someone else’s footsteps. On some of the upper parts of the hill I was up to my knees on a previous visit which made it a bit of a slog.
The path climbs steadily with a few slightly steeper sections which might have you breathing a bit heavier. At about 480m or 1600 feet the route passes close to Tortherin Hill cairn, one of a few false summits. The ground levels out for a short distance before climbing again, by which time you should have caught your second wind. At the split in the path the main route veers to the left, whilst an alternative one skirts along the edge of Maurice’s Cleuch, an area where the scree covered slope falls steeply to the base. The latter is probably best given a miss in poor visibility as it is a serious drop if you stray from the path. In good conditions it is fine. Both paths converge in any case as you near the final steeper section to the summit. At the top there is a huge cairn apparently dating back to the Bronze Age and on top of this a plinth has been erected with a directional plate to identify surrounding places of interest. Some of the rocks have also been put together to form wind breaks as it can be breezy up here. I was fortunate on the latest walk to have mainly sunshine and blue skies so there were clear 360 degree views for miles and I had the opportunity to sit in relative calm and have some sandwiches. It had taken about 1 hour to get to the top at a steady pace with some stops for photos and a breather or two! I only saw six others on the ascent and high above a paraglider was enjoying the uplift and getting a bird’s eye view of the area.
It’s usual to return the same path however on this occasion I headed south east between two fences to explore a steeper and less frequented route. The track is not that clear and I just used the fence as a guide. When it reached a stage where the incline was less attractive and scree-like, by chance I spotted a track heading across the face of the hill and followed it for a while as it zigzagged downwards. This eventually faded and I combined sheep tracks and breaks in the heather to pick a way back towards the fence and the base. The fence line is very steep in some sections and it’s not practical to follow it all the way down. When off the steepest part of the hill the lower section became a bit of a cross country trek, up and down little gullies, over walls, across heather moor and fields until finally I reached Eastfield Farm steading. The ground is a bit boggy at places and certainly coming this route you need to have suitable footwear like hiking boots. Following the long farm road to the left leads to the A73 and going left again at the main road eventually leads full circle back to the A72 and the car park. From the farm steading to the car park is roughly four miles and the main road is quite busy meaning that you have to often step into or walk along the grass verges where they exist. It’s amazing how much rubbish you see en route - along with some road kill.
The total route over Tinto Hill and back this way was approximately 7.5 miles. It took me 1 hour 30 minutes roughly to descend to the A73 and the same again to follow the road around. I probably would not retrace my steps down the south side again - even if I could find them - unless transport could be arranged at the A73 as the road walk was not worth the effort and a bit dangerous. There is an “official” route on the south side of the Hill from Wiston Lodge however perhaps it is easier to follow from the base than locate when descending!
The tearooms at the car park on the north side are open irregular hours so you may have to seek refreshments in Biggar or Lanark (the nearby Tinto Hotel at Symington only caters for private/wedding functions now).
Written 2 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rs042114b
Glasgow, UK55 contributions
Jul 2011 • Friends
Come and enjoy the magnificent Tinto Hill with its Panoramic views of the Clyde Valley and beyond. Tinto Hill is a magnificent viewpoint from which to see the Clyde Valley and up to 40 miles away. On a clear day the sensation of being 2,300 feet high makes you feel like being in the heaven's and nearer to God.
Start at the carpark at Fallburn and follow a path which passes an ancient fort on the left and then on to the summit which is 707 metres high. The summit provides fantastic panoramic views of the East and West coasts
TRAVEL TIPS
Tinto Hill is on the A73 between Lanark and Biggar. At Fallburn, there is a car park and your walk begins there. It takes about 2 to 4 hours to go up and down to the summit depending on your fitness. Please take suitable clothing as it can be windy on the summit and the weather can change quickly. Also take a packed lunch/picnic so that you can enjoy a rest at the summit and by then you will be hungry and thirsty.
Nearby is the Tinto Hotel and a few miles further takes you to Biggar where you can enjoy a delicious ice-cream or a cup of tea in one of the cafe's there.
Start at the carpark at Fallburn and follow a path which passes an ancient fort on the left and then on to the summit which is 707 metres high. The summit provides fantastic panoramic views of the East and West coasts
TRAVEL TIPS
Tinto Hill is on the A73 between Lanark and Biggar. At Fallburn, there is a car park and your walk begins there. It takes about 2 to 4 hours to go up and down to the summit depending on your fitness. Please take suitable clothing as it can be windy on the summit and the weather can change quickly. Also take a packed lunch/picnic so that you can enjoy a rest at the summit and by then you will be hungry and thirsty.
Nearby is the Tinto Hotel and a few miles further takes you to Biggar where you can enjoy a delicious ice-cream or a cup of tea in one of the cafe's there.
Written 13 July 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tartantan
Glasgow, UK51 contributions
May 2019 • Family
I tackled this wee hill on a mild, dry Scottish Saturday afternoon with my wife, daughter and little dog (Bichon Frise). We appear to have landed the last space in the car park, but there were others parked along the road on the approach.
The hill welcomed us with a gentle slope, then teased us with a few steeper parts. As a not so fit middle aged man, I was puffing like a steam train on parts, but was definitely a good cardio workout, and I plan to do it again. There were toddlers to pensioners, chihuahuas to labradors all doing the hill. Everyone passing was friendly and giving encouragement to others. Sheep do roam on adjacent grass, and to be fair, dogs on the trek were on leads. The path is pretty wide all the way up but surface is predominantly loose stones. Not sure how slippy this would be on a wet day, so check the weather before you set off and wear sensible walking shoes/boots. Take a jacket and water for the journey,
It was a cold icy wind when we reached the summit with views across the Clyde Valley. The descent was much quicker although I did feel the pressure on the old legs as I fought gravity in going too fast. Many used hiking sticks on the way down, which if you have them is probably a good idea.
For us, out total time at Tinto including 15 mins at summit and a few minute breathers along the way was around 2.5 hours. My fitness tracker suggests we walked 4.1 miles in total. There is a tearoom at the bottom of the hill. Unfortunately, we had a prior engagment, but will give ourselves more time on our next visit to sample their delights.
The hill welcomed us with a gentle slope, then teased us with a few steeper parts. As a not so fit middle aged man, I was puffing like a steam train on parts, but was definitely a good cardio workout, and I plan to do it again. There were toddlers to pensioners, chihuahuas to labradors all doing the hill. Everyone passing was friendly and giving encouragement to others. Sheep do roam on adjacent grass, and to be fair, dogs on the trek were on leads. The path is pretty wide all the way up but surface is predominantly loose stones. Not sure how slippy this would be on a wet day, so check the weather before you set off and wear sensible walking shoes/boots. Take a jacket and water for the journey,
It was a cold icy wind when we reached the summit with views across the Clyde Valley. The descent was much quicker although I did feel the pressure on the old legs as I fought gravity in going too fast. Many used hiking sticks on the way down, which if you have them is probably a good idea.
For us, out total time at Tinto including 15 mins at summit and a few minute breathers along the way was around 2.5 hours. My fitness tracker suggests we walked 4.1 miles in total. There is a tearoom at the bottom of the hill. Unfortunately, we had a prior engagment, but will give ourselves more time on our next visit to sample their delights.
Written 8 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JBo9876
Kilbirnie, UK128 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
My daughter fancied a hill walk and suggested Tinto Hill, so we headed up on a nice sunny Saturday morning. Nice walk, wee bit boggy in bits at bottom, so best to have walking shoes but not essential. Good path up with 2 sections that you can take, some quite steep bits but once at top, there are really nice views across Lanarkshire & beyond. Took around 2 hours to get up & down. Well worth it.
Written 14 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Galway129
Galway, Ireland51 contributions
Apr 2018 • Family
Climbed Tinto Hill on Easter Sunday with our kids. Was a gorgeous day which made it even better. You need to wear proper walking shoes for this. Bit hard going in parts if you are not fit. Well worth it when you get to the top with great views.
Written 9 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul Waterson
South Lanarkshire, UK17 contributions
Sept 2019
this is my local hill and as such I do it quite often its great no matter what the weather is but i especially like going up to watch the sun go down then head back down in the dark
Written 3 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ajfly
72 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
I climbed this many times as a child with my family. This was my first time climbing as an adult (31 years)
Easy to follow path. We were prepared for all weathers and we certainly needed it. We had sun, rain, sleet, snow, hail and wind that would knock you off your feet. We passed a few folk who were very unprepared in brand new white trainers and a light tracksuit. I doubt they made it far.
We got to the top in around 1.45hrs.
Best advice I can give anyone for taking on this hill or any hill/munro is be prepared and wear the right gear and footwear. A rucksack is your lifeline for keeping all essentials and water.
Easy to follow path. We were prepared for all weathers and we certainly needed it. We had sun, rain, sleet, snow, hail and wind that would knock you off your feet. We passed a few folk who were very unprepared in brand new white trainers and a light tracksuit. I doubt they made it far.
We got to the top in around 1.45hrs.
Best advice I can give anyone for taking on this hill or any hill/munro is be prepared and wear the right gear and footwear. A rucksack is your lifeline for keeping all essentials and water.
Written 12 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi I am brining a group of students to climb the hill on Thursday, can someone advise of the closest public toilets to the carpark
Thank you
Written 7 October 2020
steffhill1987
Glasgow, United Kingdom
would this be suitable to take a young one to he's 2 nearly 3 but is a good walker and film of energy but just not sure if it might be a bit too much for him ?
Written 24 May 2018
Yes I think he would do it no problem. He may just beat you to the top. I think they have to much energy anyway and a think the walk would be great for the wee man and do him a world of good . And have a wee picnic at the top. Have fun he may turn out to be a Monroe bagger.
Written 26 May 2018
How long does it roughly take to climb
Written 2 October 2017
This is a lovely hill on a good day it should take no more than two hours. but if you take a drink and a sandwich and good company a little longer. the views are lovely so in joy and have fun.
Written 2 October 2017
zuzacek
Wishaw, United Kingdom
Hi, is the path suitable and wide enough for trip with buggy? by suitable i mean there are no gates we would have to carry buggy over. baby is getting a bit too heavy for carrier. thanks
Written 2 July 2016
No I wouldn't recommend taking a baby or night up the hill .
Written 22 October 2016
Thinking of taking my 3yr old and my younger child (in a baby carrier) up the hill.. Anyone else done this before? Any Tips/thoughts? Thanks 😊
Written 21 April 2015
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