Conic Hill (from Gaelic "còinneach" meaning

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

) is a prominent hill in

Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Location and description

It is on the east bank of

Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (1984) ''Elm'', Cambridge University Press.) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Ce ...

, beside the village of

Balmaha Balmaha (Gaelic: ''Baile Mo Thatha'') is a village on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond in the council area of Stirling, Scotland. The village is a popular tourist destination for picnickers and day trippers from Glasgow as well as walkers on ...

. It is a sharp little summit which is on the

Highland Boundary Fault The Highland Boundary Fault is a major fault zone that traverses Scotland from Arran and Helensburgh on the west coast to Stonehaven in the east. It separates two different geological terranes which give rise to two distinct physiographic terr ...

. There was a tiny cairn at the top (); there is only a scattering of stones to mark the "true" summit.''Conic Hill''
at www.hill-bagging.co.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2017. Most visitors also stop on a sub-summit at .

Views

From the top, it offers impressive views over Loch Lomond and towards

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

; on a clear day it is even possible to see

Goat Fell Goat Fell (marked as Goatfell by the Ordnance Survey; Scottish Gaelic: Gaoda Bheinn) is the highest point on the Isle of Arran. At 874 metres (2,867 ft), it is one of four Corbetts on the island. The mountain, along with nearby Brod ...

on Arran, about southwest. In addition, the rounded outline of

Ailsa Craig Ailsa Craig (; sco, Ailsae Craig; gd, Creag Ealasaid) is an island of in the outer Firth of Clyde, west of mainland Scotland, upon which microgranite has long been quarried to make curling stones. The now-uninhabited island comprises the r ...

in the Clyde Estuary is sometimes visible.

Ascent

It is accessible for walking, and forms part of the

West Highland Way The West Highland Way ( gd, Slighe na Gàidhealtachd an Iar) is a linear long-distance route in Scotland. It is long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the r ...

. During the lambing season, dogs are not allowed in the two enclosed fields on the east approach to Conic Hill, even if they are on a lead. The season normally lasts for around three weeks at the end of April and early May. However, this does not affect access with a dog to Conic Hill from the Balmaha direction. The hill is accessible by public transport, with buses and ferries arriving in Balmaha. There is also a car park at the base, allowing those with vehicles a place to park before climbing the hill. In August 2013, 8 members of Deafblind Scotland ascended the hill with help from rangers and guides.

External links

Walk Highlands ReportWest Highland Way Route over Conic Hill

References

Marilyns of Scotland Geography of Stirling (council area) {{Stirling-geo-stub