Scotland
McCrierick's Cairn
556M
1824FT
About McCrierick's Cairn
Tucked into the northern fringe of the Carsphairn Hills, this 556-metre summit offers a quiet, pathless alternative to its busier neighbours. The terrain is typical Southern Upland grass and peat, rewarding climbers with clear lines of sight across the Water of Ken toward the massive bulk of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn.
Key Statistics
Rank
121st Highest in Region
Parent Range
Carsphairn Hills
Prominence
?
21
Nearest Town
New Cumnock
Geology
You are walking on a rugged foundation of ancient sandstone and fine-grained, granite-like rock formed from seafloor sediments and cooling magma.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NS668100
Latitude
55.3665°N
Longitude
4.1027°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely commemorates a member of the McCrierick family, a surname historically concentrated in the Dumfries and Galloway area, though the specific individual who inspired the name is long forgotten.
- •It is often climbed as part of a longer ridge walk that connects to Beninner and the higher plateau of Cairnsmore of Carsphairn.
- •The summit provides an excellent vantage point overlooking the remote Shinnel Water to the east, a valley that feels significantly further from civilisation than it actually is.
- •In the Southern Uplands, the inclusion of 'Cairn' in a hill’s name is often a polite warning that the summit may be the only reliably dry patch of ground for several miles.