Cairn Pat

Dominating the northern skyline of the Rhins of Galloway, this accessible Marilyn offers a maritime character unlike many Scottish hills. The ascent is straightforward, leading past communication masts to an ancient hillfort where the reward is a vast horizon taking in the Irish coast, the Isle of Man, and the Mull of Kintyre.

• •The name is derived from the Gaelic Càrn Phàdraig, meaning Patrick’s Cairn, which local tradition associates with St Patrick and his legendary journeys across the North Channel.
• •The summit plateau is enclosed by the remains of a substantial Iron Age hillfort, featuring two lines of stone and earth ramparts that once protected a significant prehistoric settlement.
• •Because of its isolation on the peninsula, the view from the trig pillar is exceptional; on clear days, the granite peaks of the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland are clearly visible across the water.
• •The summit currently hosts an uneasy truce between history and technology, where the low, grassy banks of a prehistoric fort sit in the shadow of massive modern telecommunications masts.