Scotland
Cuil Hill
420M
1378FT
About Cuil Hill
Tucked away in the Galloway Forest Park's eastern fringes, this Southern Uplands Hump offers a quiet perspective on the Ken valley. The 420-metre summit provides a manageable climb through typical Dumfries and Galloway moorland, rewarding walkers with clear lines of sight toward the more rugged Rhinns of Kells across the glen.
Key Statistics
Rank
372nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
113m
Nearest Town
Bogknowe
Geology
The ground beneath you is a granite-like rock from the Criffel-Dalbeattie Pluton, formed from a massive pool of magma that cooled deep underground.
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NX911631
Latitude
54.9507°N
Longitude
3.7006°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Gaelic 'cùil', meaning a nook or corner, reflecting its position tucked into the landscape above the Water of Ken.
- •From the summit, the view stretches across the northern end of Loch Ken toward the village of New Galloway, with the distinctive peaks of the Rhinns of Kells dominating the western horizon.
- •The hill's status as a Hump (Hundred Metre Prominence) ensures it feels isolated from its neighbours, offering a sense of scale often missing from higher, more cluttered ranges.
- •The nearby Lochinvar, situated just to the east, provided the inspiration for the hero in Sir Walter Scott's famous poem, Marmion.
- •Cuil Hill is the ideal choice for the walker who wants the view of the Rhinns of Kells without the commitment of actually having to climb them.