Scotland
Black Craig
640M
2100FT
About Black Craig
Rising above the Nith Valley, this rounded Southern Upland hill offers a straightforward but rewarding ascent over high moorland. While its name suggests rugged rock, the terrain is predominantly grassy. It serves as an excellent vantage point for surveying the rolling landscape between New Cumnock and the Carsphairn Forest.
Key Statistics
Rank
138th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Data coming soon
Prominence
?
81
Nearest Town
Aberdeenshire
Geology
You are walking on hard granite from the Mount Battock Pluton. This solid rock formed from cooled magma and has a uniform, even-grained texture.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NO430905
Latitude
57.0023°N
Longitude
2.9385°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Gaelic in origin, with 'Creag Dhubh' translating to ‘Black Rock’, likely referencing the dark outcrops on its steeper flanks rather than the broad, grassy summit.
- •At 640 metres, it is the highest point in the historic county of Ayrshire, though the boundary with Dumfries and Galloway runs right across the summit ridge.
- •The summit provides a clear, expansive view across the Nith Valley towards the distinctive radar dome on Lowther Hill and the sprawling hills of the Southern Uplands.
- •It is most commonly climbed as part of a high-level circuit from the A76 near New Cumnock, frequently paired with its neighbour Blacklorg Hill.
- •Given the predominantly peat-heavy terrain, the name 'Craig'—usually implying a rocky precipice—feels like a bit of a stretch for what is largely a damp, grassy slope.