What is a Regional Park?

The majority of the land in the Regional Park is in private ownership, with the City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council and West Lothian Council all having statutory duties in relation to their constituent parts of the Park.

The City of Edinburgh Council is the managing authority of the Regional Park, under the terms of the Minute of Agreement between the three local authorities. Set within the Minute of Agreement the following aims were created: 

• To retain the essential character of the hills as a place for the peaceful enjoyment of the countryside;
• Caring for the hills so that the landscape and the habitat is protected and enhanced;
• Within this caring framework to encourage responsible public enjoyment of the hills;
• Co-ordination of these aims so that they co-exist with farming and other land uses within the Pentland Hills Regional Park.