Sub-Marilyn · Galloway
Carlock Hill
A 322m hill at NX 08 above Glen App on the boundary of South Ayrshire and Wigtownshire. Carlock looks south over the Galloway hills and west to the Firth of Clyde.
Quick facts
- Height
- 321.8m/ 1056ft
- Prominence
- 148 m
- Grid ref
- NX 08571 77229
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Sub-Marilyn: 148m of drop — misses the 150m Marilyn cut by 2m. We keep it on the list as a near-miss.
Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).
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Standard route
heather moorland 65% · boggy ground 20% · grassy summit 15%
Start from the minor road at the head of Glen App and climb west through forestry breaks onto the open ridge. The summit trig is a short walk along the broad top — 2 hours return.
Terrain
Plantation rides then heather and grass on the open hill. Forest breaks are the main route-finding issue.
In winter
Mild Atlantic conditions keep snow minimal. Wind off the Firth is the main weather factor on the exposed ridge.
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 51m
- Edinburgh5h 13m
OS maps: OS Landranger 76, OS Explorer 317
Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Galloway/Wigtownshire; limited coverage.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:25
- Sunset
- 21:28
- Civil dawn
- 04:37
- Civil dusk
- 22:16
NOAA Solar Calculator · 30 July 2026
Around Carlock Hill on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Carlock Hill — common questions
- Is Carlock Hill a hard climb?
- Carlock Hill is rated 1/5 (easy) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: Plantation rides then heather and grass on the open hill.
- What is Carlock Hill's prominence?
- 148m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Carlock Hill to the next higher ground. That leaves it 2m short of the 150m drop a Marilyn needs — DoBIH classes it a sub-Marilyn, a near-miss rather than a full Marilyn.
- When is the best time to climb Carlock Hill?
- March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Carlock Hill. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
- Is Carlock Hill dog-friendly?
- Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
- Is there mobile signal on Carlock Hill?
- Poor. Remote Galloway/Wigtownshire; limited coverage.
- Is Carlock Hill safe in winter?
- Mild Atlantic conditions keep snow minimal. Wind off the Firth is the main weather factor on the exposed ridge.
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