Tinto from Lanark Racecourse (1) - geograph

Tinto is an isolated hill in the

Southern Uplands The Southern Uplands ( gd, Na Monaidhean a Deas) are the southernmost and least populous of mainland Scotland's three major geographic areas (the other two being the Central Lowlands and the Grampian Mountains and the Highlands, as illustrate ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

. It comprises little more than one top, which stands on the west bank of the River Clyde, some west of Biggar. The peak is also called "Tinto Tap", with the name Tinto possibly deriving from the

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well ...

word ', meaning "fiery", which may refer to its ancient past as a look out beacon. Further known as the "Hill of Fire" it is also suggested exposed red hue felsite rock visible in many places on the hill helped gave rise to this name due to the effect seen when a setting sun illuminates the hillside. At the summit sits "Tinto Cairn", and with a diameter of and a height of it is one of the largest

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...

round cairns in Scotland, most of which are found at lower elevations. An old Scots children's rhyme tells of the "kist in the mist" at "Tintock tap", ' being the Scots word for "

chest The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the crea ...

". On Tintock tap, there is a mist, And in that mist, there is a kist, And in that kist, there is a cup, And in that cup, there is a drap. Tak' up that cup, and drink that drap, that's in yon kist, on Tintock tap! It is accessible for walking and is one of the premier locations for hanggliding and

paragliding Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or lies supine in a cocoon-like 'p ...

. Tinto is located near the small villages of

Thankerton Thankerton is a small village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom. It is located between Biggar and Lanark, and situated between Quothquan Law and Tinto (two local hills). Thankerton's name derives from an early feudal lord cal ...

and Wiston. Tinto is also the venue for one of the most popular hill running races in Scotland which is held annually in November.

Artistic recognition

Tinto Hill was painted by John Pairman in 1841.

References

External links

Tinto Hill race

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Marilyns of Scotland Donald mountains Grahams Mountains and hills of the Southern Uplands Landforms of South Lanarkshire Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Clydesdale and South East Glasgow {{SouthLanarkshire-geo-stub