Tap o' Noth

About Tap o' Noth

Rising steeply above the Aberdeenshire village of Rhynie, this prominent Marilyn is crowned by one of Scotland’s most impressive vitrified hill forts. The ascent follows a straightforward forest track and moorland path, rewarding walkers with a massive summit plateau and expansive views over the rolling farmland of the Garioch.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name is a combination of the Scots word 'tap' (top) and the local district name 'Noth'. While 'Noth' has obscure roots, it is frequently associated with the Gaelic 'nochd', meaning bare or exposed, which aptly describes the windswept, treeless nature of the summit ramparts.
• •The summit is home to Scotland’s second-highest hill fort, featuring a massive perimeter of vitrified stone. These walls were subjected to such intense heat—likely through deliberate firing or siege—that the rocks melted and fused together into a glass-like solid.
• •Recent lidar and drone surveys have revolutionised our understanding of the site, revealing the foundations of over 800 huts. This suggests the hill was once a major Pictish power centre and the largest known settlement in post-Roman Britain, housing thousands of people.
• •In the valley below near Rhynie, a famous standing stone known as the 'Rhynie Man' was discovered. It depicts a figure carrying an axe, believed to be associated with the high-status Pictish culture that occupied the hill fort during the 5th and 6th centuries.
• •On a clear day, the summit provides an exceptional vantage point over the Aberdeenshire landscape. You can look directly across to the multiple peaks of Bennachie and the high, rounded mass of the Buck of Cabrach, while the Moray Firth is often visible to the north.
• •Archeologists estimate that the outer ramparts alone required approximately 30,000 tonnes of stone to construct. It serves as a sobering reminder for any modern walker complaining about the weight of their rucksack on the 250-metre climb from the car park.