OpenFell
Hill list · Southern Scotland

The Donalds

All 89 of them, tallest first. The 2,000 ft hills of the Scottish Lowlands, on an unusually intricate rule.

Data compiled by Ryan — sources and method

On the list
89
Highest
Merrick 843 m
Lowest
Innerdownie 610 m
Mean height
693 m
Total re-ascent
15,693 m
Hill regions
7

Total re-ascent adds up the drop to each hill's key col — the climbing you cannot avoid if you visit every summit on the list. It is a floor, not a round total: it counts nothing for walking in, and nothing for the ground between one hill and the next.

What counts as a Donald

Hills of at least 2,000 feet (609.6 m) in the Scottish Lowlands — chiefly the Southern Uplands. The qualifying test is idiosyncratic: it combines drop with distance from the nearest higher ground, rather than applying a single prominence threshold.

Compiled by Percy Donald and published in the 1930s, and maintained by the Scottish Mountaineering Club. It is the oldest of the Lowland lists and the only major British list whose rule mixes separation-by-distance with drop, which is why its membership cannot be reproduced from a prominence filter alone.

OpenFell holds every GB member of this list. Heights, drops and grid references are the surveyed figures from the Database of British & Irish Hills, not the round numbers printed in older guidebooks — so a hill occasionally sits a metre either side of where you expect it.

What else the Donalds count for

Most British hills appear on more than one list, so a single walk often ticks several boxes at once. Of the 89 Donalds:

Counted against the other lists OpenFell holds in full. Lists the site carries only part of — Marilyns, HuMPs, Simms and the rest — are left out rather than reported as a fraction of themselves.

Where they are

They span Scotland, with one sitting astride the England–Scotland border itself. The list spreads across 7 hill-survey regions, concentrated in The River Tweed to the English Border.

Donalds by hill-survey region
RegionDonaldsShare
The River Tweed to the English Border 38 42.7%
Carrick and Galloway 19 21.3%
The Glenkens to Annandale 18 20.2%
Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose 7 7.9%
Firth of Forth to the River Tweed 5 5.6%
Ayr to the River Clyde 1 1.1%
Northumberland 1 1.1%

How the heights fall

Donalds grouped into 100 m height bands
Height bandHillsShare of the list
800–900 m 9 10%
700–800 m 21 24%
600–700 m 59 66%

All 89 Donalds, tallest first

Every Donald, sorted by height descending
# Hill Height Drop Region Also Grid ref
1 Merrick 843 m 705 m Carrick and Galloway CorbettHistoric County Top +4 NX427855
2 Broad Law 840 m 654 m The River Tweed to the English Border CorbettHistoric County Top +3 NT146235
3 Cramalt Craig 830 m 147 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT168247
4 White Coomb 822 m 375 m The River Tweed to the English Border CorbettHistoric County Top +3 NT163150
5 Dollar Law 817 m 70 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT178278
6 Corserine 814 m 488 m Carrick and Galloway CorbettMarilyn +2 NX497870
7 Hart Fell 808 m 200 m The River Tweed to the English Border CorbettMarilyn +2 NT113135
8 Carlin's Cairn 807 m 99 m Carrick and Galloway Simm NX496883
9 Lochcraig Head 801 m 108 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT166177
10 Cairnsmore of Carsphairn 797 m 582 m The Glenkens to Annandale CorbettMarilyn +2 NX594980
11 Kirriereoch Hill 787 m 150 m Carrick and Galloway MarilynHuMP +1 NX420869
12 Molls Cleuch Dod 785 m 39 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT151179
13 Shalloch on Minnoch 774 m 194 m Carrick and Galloway CorbettMarilyn +2 NX407905
14 Meikle Millyea 749 m 121 m Carrick and Galloway HuMPSimm NX516825
15 Culter Fell 748 m 350 m The River Tweed to the English Border GrahamHistoric County Top +3 NT052290
16 Under Saddle Yoke 745 m 128 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT142126
17 Dun Rig 744 m 243 m The River Tweed to the English Border GrahamHistoric County Top +3 NT253315
18 Milldown 738 m 90 m Carrick and Galloway Simm NX511839
19 Pykestone Hill 737 m 131 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT173312
20 Green Lowther 732 m 424 m The Glenkens to Annandale GrahamMarilyn +2 NS900120
21 Glenrath Heights 732 m 87 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT241322
22 Swatte Fell 730 m 36 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT118113
23 Lowther Hill 725 m 37 m The Glenkens to Annandale Simm NS890107
24 Cape Law 722 m 93 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT131150
25 Ben Cleuch 721 m 595 m Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose GrahamHistoric County Top +3 NN902006
26 Middle Hill 717 m 42 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT159294
27 Lamachan Hill 717 m 453 m Carrick and Galloway GrahamMarilyn +2 NX435769
28 Tinto 712 m 443 m Ayr to the River Clyde GrahamMarilyn +2 NS953343
29 Cairnsmore of Fleet 711 m 522 m Carrick and Galloway GrahamMarilyn +2 NX501670
30 Blackcraig Hill 701 m 235 m The Glenkens to Annandale GrahamMarilyn +2 NS647064
31 Garelet Dod 698 m 126 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT125172
32 Black Law 698 m 103 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT222279
33 Chapelgill Hill 698 m 109 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT067303
34 Windy Standard 698 m 212 m The Glenkens to Annandale GrahamMarilyn +2 NS620014
35 Queensberry 697 m 363 m The Glenkens to Annandale GrahamMarilyn +2 NX989997
36 Tarfessock 696 m 69 m Carrick and Galloway Simm NX409891
37 Meaul 695 m 74 m Carrick and Galloway Simm NX500909
38 Mullwharchar 692 m 187 m Carrick and Galloway GrahamMarilyn +2 NX454866
39 Ettrick Pen 692 m 356 m The River Tweed to the English Border GrahamMarilyn +2 NT199076
40 Ballencleuch Law 691 m 204 m The Glenkens to Annandale GrahamMarilyn +2 NS935049
41 Talla Cleuch Head 691 m 63 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT133218
42 Erie Hill 690 m 92 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT124187
43 Loch Fell 688 m 126 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT170047
44 Gathersnow Hill 688 m 210 m The River Tweed to the English Border GrahamMarilyn +2 NT058256
45 Blacklorg Hill 681 m 148 m The Glenkens to Annandale HuMPSimm NS653042
46 Capel Fell 678 m 159 m The River Tweed to the English Border GrahamMarilyn +2 NT163069
47 Andrewhinney Hill 677 m 194 m The River Tweed to the English Border GrahamMarilyn +2 NT197138
48 Dun Law 677 m 105 m The Glenkens to Annandale HuMPSimm NS916136
49 Larg Hill 676 m 72 m Carrick and Galloway Simm NX424757
50 Stob Law 676 m 67 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT230332
51 Curleywee 674 m 120 m Carrick and Galloway HuMPSimm NX454769
52 Wedder Law 673 m 139 m The Glenkens to Annandale HuMPSimm NS938025
53 Gana Hill 668 m 117 m The Glenkens to Annandale HuMPSimm NS954010
54 Drumelzier Law 668 m 97 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT149312
55 Uamh Bheag 666 m 325 m Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose GrahamMarilyn +2 NN691118
56 Wind Fell 665 m 92 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT178061
57 Scaw'd Law 664 m 58 m The Glenkens to Annandale Simm NS922037
58 Bodesbeck Law 664 m 101 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT169104
59 Birkscairn Hill 661 m 62 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT274331
60 Windlestraw Law 659 m 460 m Firth of Forth to the River Tweed GrahamMarilyn +2 NT371430
61 Cairnsgarroch 659 m 105 m Carrick and Galloway HuMPSimm NX515913
62 Millfore 657 m 250 m Carrick and Galloway GrahamMarilyn +2 NX478754
63 Hillshaw Head 652 m 54 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT048246
64 Blackhope Scar 652 m 283 m Firth of Forth to the River Tweed GrahamHistoric County Top +3 NT315483
65 Moorbrock Hill 651 m 113 m The Glenkens to Annandale HuMPSimm NX620983
66 King's Seat Hill 648 m 135 m Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose HuMPSimm NS933999
67 Craignaw 646 m 151 m Carrick and Galloway GrahamMarilyn +2 NX459833
68 Tarmangie Hill 645 m 78 m Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose Simm NN942014
69 Comb Law 645 m 59 m The Glenkens to Annandale Simm NS943073
70 Greenside Law 643 m 77 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT197256
71 Alhang 642 m 91 m The Glenkens to Annandale Simm NS642010
72 Whitehope Heights 637 m 109 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT095139
73 Croft Head 636 m 194 m The River Tweed to the English Border GrahamMarilyn +2 NT153056
74 Blairdenon Hill 632 m 95 m Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose Simm NN865018
75 Beinn nan Eun 631 m 142 m Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose HuMPSimm NN723131
76 East Mount Lowther 631 m 76 m The Glenkens to Annandale Simm NS878099
77 Bowbeat Hill 626 m 78 m Firth of Forth to the River Tweed Simm NT292469
78 Hudderstone 626 m 111 m The River Tweed to the English Border HuMPSimm NT022271
79 Coran of Portmark · Corran of Portmark 623 m 61 m Carrick and Galloway Simm NX509936
80 Whitehope Law 623 m 66 m Firth of Forth to the River Tweed Simm NT330445
81 Dundreich 623 m 68 m Firth of Forth to the River Tweed Simm NT274490
82 Bell Craig 623 m 47 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT186128
83 Dungeon Hill 621 m 116 m Carrick and Galloway HuMPSimm NX460850
84 Lousie Wood Law · Louise Wood Law 619 m 123 m The Glenkens to Annandale HuMPSimm NS932152
85 Windy Gyle 619 m 113 m Northumberland HewittNuttall +2 NT855152
86 Cauldcleuch Head 619 m 256 m The River Tweed to the English Border GrahamMarilyn +2 NT456006
87 Herman Law 614 m 31 m The River Tweed to the English Border Simm NT213156
88 Earncraig Hill 611 m 109 m The Glenkens to Annandale HuMPSimm NS973013
89 Innerdownie 610 m 52 m Central Scotland from Dumbarton to Montrose Simm NN966031

Hill data from the Database of British & Irish Hills v18.3 (CC BY 4.0). Drop is the descent to the hill's key col; a dash means it is not recorded in our dataset. Follow any name for grid references to ten figures, access rights, live summit weather and today's daylight.

Before you go

Plan

Walking-time calculator

Naismith with Langmuir corrections for terrain, pack weight and fitness — a realistic day, not a formula's guess.

 Plan

Daylight safety planner

The latest start that still gets you off the hill in daylight, for any date.

 Access

Can I walk or camp here?

Roaming and wild-camping rights at an exact grid reference, with the seasonal restrictions that apply.

 Browse

The other hill lists

How the Donalds sit alongside the other rounds — what each one counts, and how much they overlap.