Steele's Knowe

About Steele's Knowe

Rising above the northern fringe of the Ochils near Blackford, this broad heathery Marilyn offers a quieter alternative to the popular southern glens. The summit provides an expansive, open perspective across Strathearn toward the southern Highlands, contrasting with the nearby industrial geometry of the Burnfoot Hill wind farm.

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Did You Know?

• •The name uses the Scots term 'Knowe', derived from the Old English 'cnoll', describing a rounded hill. 'Steele' is likely a personal name, though in northern topography a 'steel' can also refer to a spur or a ridge projecting from a hill.
• •Standing on the northern edge of the Ochil massif, the summit offers an unobstructed view across the lowlands of Strathearn towards the southern Highlands, specifically the distinctive Munro peaks of Ben Vorlich and Stùc a' Chroin.
• •While many walkers stick to the dramatic southern escarpment near Dollar, the approach to Steele’s Knowe from the north follows the Danny Burn, providing a more secluded experience of the range's moorland interior.
• •The hill is a neighbour to the Burnfoot Hill wind farm; while the turbines are a dominant feature of the landscape, they provide a network of well-maintained gravel access tracks that simplify the initial stages of the ascent.
• •It holds the status of a Marilyn, yet its rounded profile is so subtle that you may spend more time checking your GPS to confirm the highest point than you did actually climbing the final slope.