Pentland Hills fossils and fossil collecting
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 You can access this part of the Pentland Hills from Carlops along the A702. You need to park at the car park at Carlops. From here..,walk South of the village, there is a narrow made-track to the east. This road starts on a fairly sharp up-hill bend, passing the Carlops water treatment works.
Follow past the works and you will pass 'Fairliehope', where the road will change into an unmade-track. The road is rough with a lot of debris and large stones. It will wind round, down and then up. You will eventually come to the top of a hill with a view of the reservoir and north esk cottage. Walk down to the reservoir.
GRID REF: 55.80687°N, 3.35177°W
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sponges, corals, bryozoans, brachiopods, bivalves, cephalopods, gastropods, trilobites, graptolites, crinoids, echinoid's. |
A area highly rich in Silurian fossils but of which is also a challenging location to collect fossils. This location is suitable for those used to exploring and walking. A beautiful landscape with many different types of fossils to be collected. This location is famous for is rich-diversity of fossil species, some unique. |
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Not for Children
This location is not suitable for children, the walking is too difficult. We recommend this location for anyone used to walking in the hills, or anyone who likes a challenge. |
Difficult Access
It it a long walk to the location since the road is a private. Even if you obtain permission to use the road, this is poorly unmade and only possible by using a 4x4 vehicle. From here, each burn is also a challenge, with plenty of up-hill walking with some steep slopes, overgrown paths and water to cross. We also HIGHLY recommend that you visit during summer, and not during the winter as conditions would be too dangerous. |
Cuttings, Disused
Quarries, Outcrops
Fossils are found mostly in cuttings along the burns where years of erosion has cut through the bedrock. There are a few disused quarries and outcrops along the hills.
These outcrops and cuttings are found in the small burns around the North Est River. The burns have cut through Silurian rock. |
SSSI
This site is an SSSI, therefore please do not Hammer the Bedrock, but photograph any fossils and collect from the loose material.
Collecting is banned however, from the Gutterford Burn.
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If you collect fossils in Scotland, the advice on best practice in the collection and storage of fossil specimens, set out in the Scottish Fossil Code, applies to you. The Code may be viewed and downloaded from www.snh.org.uk/fossilcode.
 
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There are a number of important safety notes to consider. The main issue is that this location is in the middle of nowhere. So ensure that you bring plenty of water, food, a first aid kit. Map, compass, good walking boots and suitable clothing.
Some of the burns are difficult to access, and you should take extra care as some of the slopes can be steep and slippery.
DO NOT Visit this location on our own, mobiles will not work, so if you do get into trouble, you need someone else who can obtain help.
DO NOT visit during winter as these are dangerous conditions, the water levels will be too high.
Take midge spray with you as midges are quite common near to water.
Follow the countryside rules, take your litter with you and stick to the paths.
This is one of the most challenging locations featured on the UK Fossils Network, and is only suitable for those used to this level of exploring.
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| Last updated: |
2008 |
| last visited: |
2008 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
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Geological Tools
You will need a pick and trowel at this location as the beds are quite soft. The most important item to take is paper and containers to wrap and keep the fossils safe as they are very fragile. A Compasss, map, food and drink are also essential.
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There are a number of good locations around this area, and further locations elsewhere in the Pentland Hills. Most are in the small burns. We HIGHLY recommend that you take the 1:25,000 OS Map 344 - Pentland Hills, along with the book 'Silurian fossils of the Pentland Hills, available from our online store with free delivery.
Once you reach the reservoir, there is a style to cross, and you should take the path to the left around the rim of the reservoir. Each burn is quite long, and the distance between burns is also a long walk. It is made difficult since the burns after often overgrown and difficult to access. You will certainly need good footwear, plenty of food and drink, a map and essentially a compass. GPS would certainly be a major help.
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Fossils are everywhere in the Pentland Hills, in particular is this area around the North Esk River. If you only have time to visit one burn, then you must visit Deerhope Formation first as it is the easiest to get to (although even this burn is still a long and difficult walk!).
Along the burns you will find a number of cuttings which the water has eroded the sides of the hills over many years. These areas often cut through various Silurian formations listed below. Fossils are best found washed out in the stream beds or in the scree slopes.
There are a number of disused quarries in the area, and around the North Est River, along with rock outcrops to be examined.
There are so many different fossils to be collected here, but the most common are bivalves, brachiopods, trilobites, corals, and
cephalopods. The truth is, you just never know what you might time.
This guide concentrates on the area around the North Esk River, however there are other areas in the Pentland Hills which are rich in fossils, we have featured this location as it is has the most concentration of locations. It is highly recommended that you purchase the book 'Silurian fossils of the Pentland Hills.
Deerhope Formation
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Silurian, 423-443mya |
The Pentland Hills is famous for Silurian shales, siltstones and mudstones. These are rich in fossils. There are four main formations covering the Wenlock and Llandovery stages;
Deerhope Formation (Deerhope burn and Gutterford burn) -
Laminated fossiliferous siltstones, mudstones and shales, no sediment coarser than siltstone, bioturbation common in fine-grained sediment. Fossils include rugose corals, brachiopods, bivalves, trilobites and pelmatozoans. Collecting is not permitted from the Gutterford Burn.
Cock Rig Formation (North Esk River in old quarries) -
Medium- and coarse-grained, locally flaggy, cross-stratified sandstones, interbedded with clast-supported and poorly graded conglomerates.
Wether Law Linn Formation (Wether Law Linn burn) -
Silty mudstone, mudstone, siltstone and fine-grained sandstones.
Henshaw Formation (North Esk River and Henshaw burn) -
Red medium- and coarse-grained sandstones and conglomerates with finer grained sediments....[more]
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Silurian Fossils of the Pentland Hills |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which
will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed.
These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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 This book covers fossils from the Pentland Hills in Scotland. It contains hundreds of photos of Silurian Fossils that can be found including details of locations and how to access the sites. This book is essential for visiting this location. You can order this book by going to our online store, we offer free shipping on all publications to the UK, and feature hundreds of titles.
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Our International Rock
and Fossil Magazine |
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