Blackcraig Hill

Rising above the head of Glen Afton, this bulky moorland Graham is the highest point in the Carsphairn Hills. Its broad, grassy slopes offer a straightforward but substantial climb from New Cumnock, rewarding walkers with a feeling of immense space and isolation characteristic of the Southern Uplands.

• •The name is a literal description of the dark, rocky outcrops on its steeper slopes, combining the English 'black' with the Scots 'craig', derived from the Gaelic creag, meaning a crag or rocky place.
• •The hill overlooks the Afton Water, a river immortalised by Robert Burns in his poem 'Sweet Afton'; the valley provides the most popular approach route via the Afton Reservoir.
• •The summit offers a commanding perspective over the Southern Uplands; on clear days, look south-west to see the granite peaks of the Galloway Forest Park, including Merrick and the Rhinns of Kells.
• •As a Donald, it ranks among the more significant summits in the Scottish Lowlands and is frequently bagged alongside its neighbour, Blacklorg Hill, as part of a high-level circuit.
• •Navigation on the broad plateau is famously aided by a series of sturdy fence lines, which serve as a reliable handrail for walkers when the Ayrshire mist rolls in.