What difficulty is Hill of Tillymorgan?

On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Hill of Tillymorgan comes in at 1/5 — easy. Underfoot: Estate track for most of the climb, short heather and grass close to the summit.

What is Hill of Tillymorgan's prominence?

153m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Hill of Tillymorgan 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 Hill of Tillymorgan?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Hill of Tillymorgan. 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 Hill of Tillymorgan 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: Steven Brown / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Cairngorms

Hill of Tillymorgan

Hill of Tillymorgan sits at 380m on the rolling moorland north of Insch, a low but distinctive heather summit visible across much of central Aberdeenshire. Old slate quarries on its flanks once supplied roofing across the northeast.

Quick facts

Height: 380.8m/ 1249ft
Prominence: 153 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NJ 65236 34804
Nearest city: Aberdeen· 41km
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 70% · grass slopes 20% · summit area 10%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

A track from the minor road near Largue climbs gently through heather to the trig point at the summit. Around 4-5km return and rarely more than 90 minutes — an easy half-day walk with disproportionately wide views.

Terrain

Estate track for most of the climb, short heather and grass close to the summit. The hill is well-drained underfoot.

In winter

Snow is generally light and short-lived. The exposed summit catches wind sweeping in from the Moray Firth — wrap up well even on bright days.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Hill of Tillymorgan. 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 Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath ↗ 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

Glasgow6h 53m
Edinburgh4h 4m

OS maps: OS Landranger 29, OS Explorer 425S

Mobile signal: Signal is good; EE behaves well. Fine north Aberdeenshire views.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 14mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:38
Sunset: 19:34
Civil dawn: 05:59
Civil dusk: 20:13

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026

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Around Hill of Tillymorgan on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Stonehaven station

Dunnottar Castle; Aberdeenshire coast; Mearns walking country

54km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Dufftown

Speyside whisky town in the eastern Cairngorms

33km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Strathisla

Keith — postcard-pretty Speysider and the heart of Chivas Regal

27km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Hill of Tillymorgan — common questions

What difficulty is Hill of Tillymorgan?: On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Hill of Tillymorgan comes in at 1/5 — easy. Underfoot: Estate track for most of the climb, short heather and grass close to the summit.
What is Hill of Tillymorgan's prominence?: 153m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Hill of Tillymorgan 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 Hill of Tillymorgan?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Hill of Tillymorgan. 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 Hill of Tillymorgan 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 Hill of Tillymorgan?: Signal is good; EE behaves well. Fine north Aberdeenshire views.
Is Hill of Tillymorgan safe in winter?: Snow is generally light and short-lived. The exposed summit catches wind sweeping in from the Moray Firth — wrap up well even on bright days.

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