Lowther Hill
| Lowther Hill | |||
| Kirkcudbrightshire, Lanarkshire | |||
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| Range: | Lowther Hills | ||
| Summit: | 2,377 feet NS89021072 55°22’40"N, 3°45’11"W | ||
Lowther Hill is a mountain of 2,377 feet in the midst of the range named after it; the Lowther Hills. Its summit marks the county boundary between Lanarkshire to the east and Kirkcudbrightshire to the west, and part of the watershed between the burns draining to the Solway and those to the Clyde.
Lowther Hill's summit is not the highest point in the Lowther Hills. That honour goes to the neighbouring summit, Green Lowther to the northeast, at 2,403 feet. The two may be considered one mountain, their peaks linked by a mile-long ridge which does not drop below 2,100 feet and continues to Dungrain Law (2,186 feet)
Radar and communications
The summit of Lowther Hill is the site of one of the radar system used by the National Air Traffic Services to guide air movements north of Carlisle, handled by the Scottish Area Control Centre. Primarily this is a civilian operation though all operations are fully integrated with military operations to ensure air safety in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
A metalled track has been driven up the hill to the top to serve the station, and it continues to Green Lowther, to the NATS Green Lowther Transmitter Station.
The radar equipment at Lowther Hill is now enclosed within the familiar golf ball style of radome, which was not fitted originally, and protects the radar antennae from adverse weather.