Knock of Lawsie

About Knock of Lawsie

Standing above the River Dee on the Balmoral Estate, this rounded, heather-clad hill offers an intimate perspective of the royal residence below. While often bypassed for the higher summits of the Mounth, its position provides clear, unobstructed views across the valley toward the sprawling massif of Lochnagar and the Cairngorm plateaus.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a corruption of the Gaelic Cnoc na Lobhsaidh; while cnoc is a common term for a hill, the second element is traditionally interpreted as 'the hill of the louse,' a likely reference to poor, stunted vegetation rather than the insects themselves.
• •It is an integral part of the Balmoral Estate, and its lower slopes are dotted with various memorial cairns erected by the British Royal Family, including the famous pyramid-shaped Prince Albert's Cairn.
• •From the summit, the eye is drawn southward to the impressive crags of Lochnagar and the sprawling White Mounth, while to the north, the winding River Dee carves through the pine-forested valley toward Ballater.
• •The hill serves as a sanctuary for red deer, particularly during the winter months when they move down from the higher plateaus to seek shelter in the pockets of Scots Pine and birch on its flanks.
• •It is perhaps the only hill in Scotland where you are more likely to encounter a member of the security services than a golden eagle, given its strategic overlooking position of the King’s Highland retreat.