Knap of Trowieglen

About Knap of Trowieglen

Rising steeply above the glens of northern Hoy, this Marilyn offers a rugged, heathery ascent. It sits as a prominent shoulder overlooking the ancient Dwarfie Stane. The summit provides a spectacular vantage point over the dark, glacial trough of Trowie Glen and the massive sandstone heights of neighbouring Ward Hill.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a hybrid of Old Norse and Scots; 'Knap' comes from the Norse 'knappr', meaning a knob or round hillock, while 'Trowie' refers to the Trows—mischievous, troll-like creatures of Orcadian folklore said to inhabit the dark glens below.
• •Lying at the eastern foot of the hill is the Dwarfie Stane, a massive block of Old Red Sandstone that holds the distinction of being Britain’s only known Neolithic rock-cut tomb, famously mentioned in Sir Walter Scott’s novel, The Pirate.
• •The summit offers a clear, earned view across the Pentland Firth towards the Scottish mainland, as well as a perspective of the sheer-sided glacial valley of Trowie Glen that separates this hill from the island's highest point.
• •While the height is modest, the terrain is classic Orkney moorland, characterized by deep heather and peat hags that make the ascent feel significantly more strenuous than the 399-metre elevation suggests.
• •Local folklore warns of Trows inhabiting the glen; while they are rarely seen today, they are still frequently blamed by walkers for missing compasses and sudden, inexplicable changes in the weather.