How hard is Craignell?

We grade Craignell at 1/5, which puts it in easy territory. Underfoot: Open heather and tussock grass with patches of bog between the granite ribs.

What is Craignell's prominence?

228m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Craignell to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.

When is the best time to climb Craignell?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Craignell. 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 Craignell dog-friendly?

Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.

By Gary

Photo: Bob Peace / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Galloway

Craignell

A 477m heather hill at NX 51 west of Clatteringshaws Loch, set among the rolling granite uplands of the Galloway Forest. Craignell looks across Loch Dee to the Awful Hand ridge.

Quick facts

Height: 477.5m/ 1567ft
Prominence: 228 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NX 51006 75221
Nearest city: Dumfries· 46km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

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%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

From the Bruce's Stone car park follow the Loch Trool road then strike east up open heather to the summit. Trackless after the first kilometre — about 2.5 hours up and down.

Terrain

Open heather and tussock grass with patches of bog between the granite ribs. No path on the upper hill.

In winter

Low altitude keeps snow off most of the year. Wet underfoot conditions are the main concern from November through March.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Craignell. SAIS forecasts six areas only — Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber, Glencoe and Torridon — and this hill is outside all of them, so there is no avalanche forecast to read for it. In winter, use MWIS Southern Uplands ↗ for mountain weather, judge snow stability from first principles, and treat any cornice or wind-loaded slope with extra caution.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow2h 6m
Edinburgh4h 46m

OS maps: OS Landranger 77, OS Explorer 319

Mobile signal: Poor. No signal on any network. Paper navigation essential.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 06mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:47
Sunset: 19:39
Civil dawn: 06:10
Civil dusk: 20:16

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026

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Around Craignell on the SCOT network

Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Ayr station

Ayrshire coast; Galloway approach via bus/car

50km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Kirkcudbright

Galloway base — Solway coast, Galloway Forest, Mull of Galloway Trail

30km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Bladnoch

Wigtown — Galloway's only distillery; Scotland's most southerly

23km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Craignell — common questions

How hard is Craignell?: We grade Craignell at 1/5, which puts it in easy territory. Underfoot: Open heather and tussock grass with patches of bog between the granite ribs.
What is Craignell's prominence?: 228m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Craignell to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.
When is the best time to climb Craignell?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Craignell. 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 Craignell 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 Craignell?: Poor. No signal on any network. Paper navigation essential.
Is Craignell safe in winter?: Low altitude keeps snow off most of the year. Wet underfoot conditions are the main concern from November through March.

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