Scotland
Cairngryffe Hill (quarried)
331M
1084FT
About Cairngryffe Hill (quarried)
Rising above the Clyde Valley near Lanark, this Southern Uplands Hump is defined by its industrial character. Large-scale quarrying has reshaped its slopes, but the remaining heights offer clear perspectives over the nearby Tinto Hill and the rolling farmland of South Lanarkshire. It is a functional, rugged landscape rather than a pristine wilderness.
Key Statistics
Rank
537th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
108.5m
Nearest Town
Pettinain
Geology
You are walking on a foundation of sandstone and hard volcanic rock, formed from molten material that cooled beneath the surface.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NS941411
Latitude
55.6521°N
Longitude
3.6836°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely combines the Gaelic càrn (stony hill) with a derivative of the Cumbric crag, a redundant but accurate description of the rocky terrain that now feeds the local aggregate industry.
- •The hill is home to a massive felsite quarry which has been active for over a century; the pinkish volcanic rock extracted here is highly valued as a durable material for road surfacing.
- •From the accessible western fringes, walkers get an excellent view of the distinctive 'Tinto Tap' to the south and the winding course of the River Clyde as it nears Lanark.
- •Given the scale of the ongoing aggregate extraction, bagging the summit is essentially a race against time before the hill is entirely redistributed across the Scottish road network.