Hill of the Wangie

Rising gently south of Elgin near the village of Dallas, this modest Marilyn is largely defined by commercial forestry. Though much of the ascent is enclosed by timber plantations, the summit clearing provides an expansive outlook over the Laich of Moray toward the distant peaks of Sutherland and Caithness.

• •The unusual name is thought to derive from the Scots word ‘wang’, referring to a thick slice or a specific strip of land, likely describing the shape of the ridge before modern forestry altered its profile.
• •From the summit trig point, the view north is particularly rewarding, offering a clear line of sight across the Moray Firth to the distinctive twin headlands known as the Sutors of Cromarty.
• •The northern slopes are home to York Tower, a 19th-century octagonal folly built by Alexander Forteath of Newton to commemorate the Duke of York; it serves as a prominent landmark for those approaching from the north.
• •Despite its modest height, the hill is a popular objective for Marilyn collectors in the Moray area due to the ease of access via the network of forestry tracks that criss-cross its flanks.
• •The hill provides an excellent vantage point for observing the transition from the fertile coastal lowlands to the more rugged, heather-clad moors of the interior Grampian fringes.