Product Code Database
The Kilpatrick Hills are a range of hills in central Scotland, stretching from Dumbarton in the west to Strathblane in the east.
Strathblane divides the Kilpatricks from the Campsie Fells to the east, while to the north is part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. To west and south the hills are fringed by the settlements of Balloch, Dumbarton, Milton, Bowling, Old Kilpatrick, Clydebank, Bearsden and Milngavie. The majority of the range is within West Dunbartonshire, although it extends into the East Dunbartonshire and Stirling areas.
The highest points in the range are Duncolm () and Fynloch (). The Kilpatricks offer a number of viewpoints and places of interest: among the best known are Doughnot Hill and The Whangie. The area features several .
The hills are of volcanic origin, modified by subsequent glaciation.
The Whangie in the north of the Kilpatricks is of particular interest to geologists and casual walkers alike. It consists of a slice of the hillside that has been separated from the main slope. This has created a narrow chasm up to high and about in length through which visitors can walk. It has commonly been explained as result of glacial plucking, but more recent research indicates that a translational landslide was the cause. During an ice age, a glacier slowly undermined the crag, opening up cracks in the rock and causing this chasm to form.
The etymology of the Whangie's name is obscure but it might derive from the old Scots language for slice (as in whang o' cheese). Local folklore suggests that it was created by the devil flicking his tail as he flew past.
Archaeological sites
There are several archaeological sites on the south-facing slopes of the hills. The chambered cairn at Carnhowit is situated on the plateau top near the edge of Cochno Loch, at a height of . There are three other cairns, which may be from the Bronze Age period. One known as Maidens Paps is nearby, Maidens Paps at geograph.org.uk just to the east of Jaw Reservoir which abuts Cochno Loch. Both it and another cairn on Cochno Hill are at a height of about , and the third cairn is sited at Wester Duntiglennan at approximately height. have been found at Cochno and Duntocher, and on the slopes below several groups of cup and ring marks have been found on outcrops, mostly around Cochno Stone and Whitehill, with other groups further west along the slopes to above Bowling, West Dunbartonshire.Ritchie and Adamson (1981) Knappers, Dunbartonshire: a reassessment, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 111, 172-204.
Topology and toponymy
The hills are named after the village of Old Kilpatrick, which lies at their southern foot. The following table lists summits over . Duncolm, the highest point of the range, is also the only Marilyn in the Kilpatricks, having a relative height of over .
Duncolm Has trig point. - Etymology: Scots Gaelic dun, hill-fort or hill of Colm, (Saint) ColumbaDrummond, Peter (2007) Scottish Hill Names: Their Origin & Meaning. p166 Fynloch Middle Duncolm Darnycaip Doughnot Hill Has trig point. The Slacks 55°56'34.23'N 4°27'3.16''W Has trig point. Auchineden 55° 59' 35.6676'' N4° 24' 53.9676'' W Has trig point. Jesus' Thimble Has a trig point. Trig point location: 55.956060 N, -4.391698 W Craigarestie Meikle White Hill Berry Bank Brown Hill Cochno Hill 55°57'03.3"N 4°25'19.0"W Knockupple Craighirst Thief's Hill Pappert Hill Has trig point. Gallangad Muir Has trig point.
See also
External links
|
|
