What's the difference between a Donald and a Donald Top?

Donalds are hills that feel like distinct mountains with significant separation from neighbours, while Donald Tops include all qualifying summits over 2,000 feet with at least 50 feet of drop—even subsidiary peaks. Basically, all Donalds are Donald Tops, but not all Donald Tops are Donalds.

Why are Scottish hills under 3,000 feet called Donalds?

They're named after Percy Donald, a Scottish Mountaineering Club member who compiled the original tables of Lowland hills over 2,000 feet in 1935. He created a formal classification system for hills that didn't qualify as Munros but still deserved recognition.

How many Donalds are there compared to Donald Tops?

There are fewer Donalds than Donald Tops, though the article doesn't give exact numbers. Some Donald Tops don't qualify as full Donalds because they're too close to higher neighbouring summits to count as distinct mountains.

The Classification Index

The Donalds and Donald Tops: how the Scottish Lowlands got their own hill lists

The Scottish Mountaineering Club maintains two related but distinct classifications for Lowland hills over 2000 feet. Donald Tops include summits with at least 50 feet of drop, though those with less than 100 feet must also demonstrate sufficient topographical merit, while Donalds are a subset selected using an additional separation formula. Percy Donald's original tables started it all, giving the lower hills their own system separate from the famous Munros up north.

26 September 20267 min read