Scotland
Cairnie Hill
229M
751FT
About Cairnie Hill
Standing at the eastern tip of the Ochil Hills, this modest Marilyn overlooks the fertile Howe of Fife. While its northern flanks drop steeply toward Lindores, the southern slopes rise gently through a patchwork of arable fields. A straightforward track from the B937 provides a quick ascent to a summit with far-reaching lowland views.
Key Statistics
Rank
229th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Central Scotland
Prominence
?
150.4m
Nearest Town
Collessie
Geology
Cairnie Hill is formed from ancient lava flows and stony, pebble-filled rocks created by the Ochil Volcanic Formation.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NO279154
Latitude
56.3263°N
Longitude
3.1670°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely stems from the Pictish 'Carden', meaning a thicket or brake, later combined with the Gaelic suffix 'aigh'. In local Scots, 'Cairnie' simply translates to a small hill or hillock, a fittingly modest descriptor for this gentle Fife summit.
- •From the summit, the view extends across the flat expanse of the Howe of Fife to the prominent twin peaks of West and East Lomond, while looking north reveals the shimmering waters of Lindores Loch nestled below the steeper northern slopes.
- •While the southern approach is gentle and agricultural, the northern and western faces are surprisingly sharp and are used primarily for rough grazing and commercial forestry.
- •Despite an elevation of just 229 metres, Cairnie Hill qualifies as a Marilyn—a peak with at least 150 metres of prominence. It is a reminder to more vertically-endowed peaks that hill-bagging status is strictly a matter of topographical independence, not just altitude.