Broughton Heights [Pyked Stane Hill]

Rising above the village of Broughton, this expansive grassy ridge offers straightforward walking with surprisingly grand rewards. The broad, heathery plateau leads to a summit marked by a substantial cairn and trig pillar, providing a fine vantage point over the Tweed Valley toward the bulky silhouette of Culter Fell.

• •The name Pyked Stane Hill refers to the prominent 'pointed stone' or cairn at the summit, derived from the Scots 'pykit' (pointed) and 'stane'.
• •The hill is often climbed as part of the John Buchan Way, a 13-mile route named after the local author and diplomat who famously wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps.
• •On a clear day, the summit offers a classic Southern Uplands panorama, stretching from the Pentland Hills in the north to the distinctive, isolated cone of Tinto Hill in the west.
• •Despite its modest height, its status as a Marilyn is earned by a drop of over 150 metres on all sides, making it the highest point of the Broughton Heights ridge.