A SERVICE offering guided walks in the Lammermuirs has been launched, promising to bring the best of this little-known range of hills to a wider public.

Lammermuir Tours is the idea of David Gray, from Haddington, who believes the vast rolling massif between East Lothian and the Scottish Borders is a hidden marvel with a remarkable natural and human story to tell.

“The Lammermuirs have an almost Highland ambience, offering a breathtaking sense of space and isolation, with their own unique character,” he said.

“Millennia of human occupation have shaped the landscape in subtle and fascinating ways, and the moorland plateau, lochs and valleys are a haven for wildlife.”

David, who has been climbing in the hills and mountains for over 30 years, on Scotland’s highest peaks and also in the French Pyrénées and Swiss Alps, believes the Lammermuirs are under-appreciated.

“It’s all about location, as the hills nearer Edinburgh tend to grab all the limelight,” he explained.

“But that’s to the Lammermuirs’ advantage – most days they’re so quiet you could be in the north of Scotland.”

Once the haunt of the Votadini tribe, who famously left behind the Traprain treasure, now in the National Museum of Scotland, and more recently crossed by drove roads used for centuries to transport livestock and salted fish from the coast, the Lammermuirs are imprinted with a rich human history.

“You can still walk on those drove roads, and see the remains of prehistoric forts, while appreciating today’s grouse moors, with their buzzards, game and mountain hares – against a spectacular backdrop over East Lothian and the Firth of Forth, and south across the Borders to the Cheviots,” he enthused.

This variety in the Lammermuir landscape has allowed David to create walks suited to all tastes.

“We provide half-day and full-day tours for all ages and abilities, for individuals and groups, and we can also tailor walks to suit individual interests,” he said.

For details, visit www.lammermuirtours.com