Scotland
Fell of Fleet
470M
1542FT
About Fell of Fleet
Standing as a prominent Marilyn in the Galloway Hills, this rounded moorland summit offers a sense of true isolation. The ascent involves crossing rough, pathless heather and peat hags. From the top, you gain a commanding view of the massive Big Water of Fleet viaduct and the granite mass of Cairnsmore of Fleet.
Key Statistics
Rank
298th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
248m
Nearest Town
New Galloway
Geology
You are walking on fine-grained granite. It belongs to the Cairnsmore of Fleet Pluton, a massive body of molten rock that cooled deep underground.
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NX566706
Latitude
55.0101°N
Longitude
4.2436°W
Did You Know?
- •The name combines the Old Norse fjall, meaning a hill or mountain, with 'Fleet,' derived from the Old English fleot, referring to a stream or tidal inlet—in this case, the Water of Fleet which drains the surrounding moorland.
- •The summit provides a bird's-eye view of the Big Water of Fleet viaduct, a twenty-span granite structure that once carried the 'Port Road' railway line between Dumfries and Stranraer.
- •As a Marilyn with over 150 metres of prominence, it is often climbed as a standalone objective or alongside Meikle Millyea, though the ground between them is notoriously taxing terrain.
- •Despite the name, do not expect to move with any particular 'fleetness' across these slopes; the combination of pathless tussocks and hidden bogs usually dictates a much more ponderous pace.