The 11 mile by 6 mile Pentland Hills Regional Park, established on 22 October 1984, stretches from the City Bypass in the North (the southernwest reaches of Edinburgh), to the Borders Region in the South. It is bordered to the West by the Water of Leith and in the East the A702.
The park, with its rolling, relatively treeless hills, is an important part of Edinburgh's green belt as well as a quiet recreational area with walking, camping, mountain biking, hill running, horseriding, fishing, and paragliding, among other activities. There is also the Hillend artificial ski slope.
At the same time, the Pentland Hills Regional Park is a "working" park with sheep farming, forestry, and several reservoirs supplying water to Edinburgh.
Wildlife includes grouse, roe deer, otters, badgers, peewits (also known as lapwings), skylarks, golden plovers, and meadow pipits. Common and soprano pipistrelle bats are widespread.
The Pentland Regional Park is run by a Ranger Service managed by a partnership between The City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council and West Lothian Council with funding support from Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Water.
The park is accessible by bicycle via the Water of Leith Walkway, by car (A702, A70), and by bus. See Edinburgh transport.