Scotland
Benniguinea
387M
1270FT
About Benniguinea
Rising above the Galloway Forest Park in the Southern Uplands, this modest Hump offers a quiet escape from the busier Galloway peaks. Much of its character is defined by the surrounding commercial forestry, but the summit provides a clear perspective over the winding Water of Minnoch and the massive bulk of Cairnsmore of Fleet.
Key Statistics
Rank
419th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
104m
Nearest Town
Dumfries and Galloway
Geology
Benniguinea sits on solid granite from the Cairnsmore of Fleet. This rock formed deep underground when a massive body of molten rock slowly cooled and hardened.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NX566759
Latitude
55.0573°N
Longitude
4.2457°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Gaelic Beinn, meaning hill, though the suffix 'guinea' is more obscure; it may be a corruption of guine, referring to a 'sting' or 'sharpness', perhaps describing the biting winds that sweep across these lower slopes.
- •Situated within the vast Galloway Forest Park, the hill is frequently bypassed by hikers heading for the more famous 'Merrick' or 'Cairnsmore' peaks, making it a sanctuary for those seeking solitude away from established trail centres.
- •From the 387-metre summit, walkers gain a distinct vantage point of the granite massif of Cairnsmore of Fleet to the southeast and the deep, forested valley of the Water of Minnoch.
- •Being both a Hump and a Tump, the hill satisfies the criteria for 'Hundred metre prominence' and 'Thirty metre prominence' respectively; a statistical double-header that sounds significantly more impressive than the actual physical effort required to summit.