Scotland
Quickningair Hill
488M
1601FT
About Quickningair Hill
Sitting in the remote heart of the Southern Uplands, this rounded moorland summit offers a quiet, pathless escape. Typical of the Sanquhar hills, the terrain is a mix of rough grass and peat hags. It provides a lonely perspective over the Afton Reservoir and the sprawling ridges leading toward Blacklorg Hill.
Key Statistics
Rank
400th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
112m
Nearest Town
Shorthope
Geology
You are walking on the Carghidown Formation. This landscape is built from sandstones and mudstones that were hardened and toughened by intense heat and pressure.
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT271073
Latitude
55.3549°N
Longitude
3.1513°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely stems from 'Quicken', a local term for the rowan tree (also known as the quickbeam), combined with 'air', a word frequently used in this region to denote a hill pasture or shieling.
- •It occupies a position on the high ground between the Nith and Afton valleys, offering a clear view of the Afton Reservoir and the rugged headwaters that inspired Robert Burns.
- •Most walkers bag this summit as part of a high-level traverse to or from Blacklorg Hill, navigating a broad, mossy ridge that requires careful footwork in wet weather.
- •In the Southern Uplands, a 'Hump' refers to a hill's prominence, but after navigating the saturated peat hags on the approach, many walkers find the term better describes their own mood.