Scotland
Knee of Cairnsmore
657M
2156FT
About Knee of Cairnsmore
This prominent eastern shoulder of the Cairnsmore of Fleet massif offers a rugged, untracked experience typical of the Galloway Highlands. Rising above the remote Big Water of Fleet, the summit provides a commanding perspective over the lonely arches of the Fleet Viaduct and the wild, granite-strewn moorlands of the Silver Flowe.
Key Statistics
Rank
41st Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
38m
Nearest Town
Creetown
Geology
The ground beneath you is the Cairnsmore of Fleet Pluton, a massive block of granite formed from molten rock that cooled deep underground.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NX509654
Latitude
54.9618°N
Longitude
4.3291°W
Did You Know?
- •The name describes its topographical position as a 'joint' or spur on the eastern flank of the parent mountain, Cairnsmore of Fleet.
- •Ascents usually begin from the valley of the Big Water of Fleet, passing the decommissioned twenty-arch Fleet Viaduct, a striking Victorian engineering relic of the former 'Port Road' railway.
- •The summit sits within a National Nature Reserve, specifically protected to preserve the habitat of the Galloway Hills' remaining populations of hen harriers, peregrines, and feral goats.
- •In true Galloway fashion, the high ground between here and the main summit of Cairnsmore is frequently defended by a complex system of deep peat hags and hidden mires.
- •Despite being named after a joint, the steep climb from the east ensures you will be well acquainted with the aches in your own knees long before the top is reached.