Fifescar Knowe

About Fifescar Knowe

Tucked within the rounded, grassy expanse of the Manor Hills, this high summit offers the quiet, windswept character typical of the Southern Uplands. Its broad plateau is defined by the historic Thief’s Road and provides clear, long-distance vistas across the deep Manor Valley toward the neighbouring giants of Broad Law and Cramalt Craig.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name 'Knowe' is a common Scots term for a hill, but at 811 metres, this is far larger than the modest knoll the name suggests. 'Fifescar' likely refers to the 'scars' or steep, rocky slopes that break the otherwise smooth, grassy character of the massif as it drops away to the north.
• •Just south of the summit lies the Thief's Road, an ancient trackway running along the spine of the hills. Historically, this route was used by Border Reivers to move stolen livestock through the uplands while avoiding the more heavily guarded valleys below.
• •While the name Fifescar Knowe identifies the specific high point, it forms the main summit of the Dollar Law massif. It is one of the highest points in the Scottish Borders, surpassed in the immediate vicinity only by the neighbouring Broad Law.
• •From the summit fence line, the view south is dominated by the massive, radar-topped dome of Broad Law. To the east, the eye follows the long, winding trench of the Manor Water valley as it cuts through the heart of these quiet hills.
• •In typical Southern Uplands fashion, the most prominent navigational feature on the summit isn't a dramatic rock formation, but a sturdy wire fence that helpfully guides walkers through the mist when the featureless grass begins to look identical in every direction.