County top

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A County top is the highest point of a county. A county top need not be in the heart of a county; many indeed are at the edges, where the county boundary runs over a ridge or watershed. A few are on the border of the county and may be the top of two counties.

The highest of them all is the magnificent Ben Nevis, the highest ground in the British Isles and consequently the county top of Inverness-shire, and the lowest Bush Ground in Huntingdonshire, a county not known for hills.

County tops of the United Kingdom

Ben Nevis, Inverness-shire, highest point in the United Kingdom
Slieve Donard, Downshire, highest mountain in Northern Ireland
Brown Willy, Cornwall
Leith Hill, Surrey

A top which is the highest point in two different counties has an asterisk; *

County Hill Height (ft) Height (m) Grid reference
Aberdeenshire Ben Macdhui* 4,295 1,309 NN988989
Anglesey Holyhead Mountain 722 220 SH2185882948
Angus Glas Maol 3,504 1,068 NO166765
Antrim Trostan 1,808 551 D17952360
Argyllshire Bidean nam Bian 3,773 1,150 NN143542
Armagh Slieve Gullion 1,880 573 J024201
Ayrshire Kirriereoch Hill shoulder 2,565 782 NX421870
Banffshire Ben Macdhui* 4,295 1,309 NN988989
Bedfordshire Dunstable Downs 797 243 TL0088119424
Berkshire Walbury Hill* 965 294 SU374618
Berwickshire Meikle Says Law shoulder 1,746 532 NT581616
Brecknockshire Pen y Fan 2,906 886 SO0121221588
Buckinghamshire Haddington Hill 875 267 SP8907209088
Buteshire Goatfell, Arran 2,867 874 NR991415
Caernarfonshire Snowdon 3,560 1,085 SH6098954379
Caithness Morven 2,316 706 ND004285
Cambridgeshire deserted village near
Castle Camps
420 128 TL632418
Cardiganshire Plynlimon 2,467 752 SN7897186945
Carmarthenshire Fan Foel 2,562 781 SN8214022338
Cheshire Black Hill 1,909 582 SE0781604687
Clackmannanshire Ben Cleuch 2,365 721 NN902006
Cornwall Brown Willy 1,378 420 SX1587280004
Cromartyshire Sgùrr Mòr 3,642 1,110 NH203718
Cumberland Scafell Pike 3,209 978 NY2154207217
Denbighshire Cadair Berwyn south summit 2,726 830 SJ0716532355
Derbyshire Kinder Scout 2,087 636 SK0851887520
Devon High Willhays 2,037 621 SX5802389203
Dorset Lewesdon Hill 915 279 ST4377801172
Down Slieve Donard 2,789 850 J357276
Dumfriesshire White Coomb 2,694 821 NT163151
Dunbartonshire Ben Vorlich 3,094 943 NN295124
Durham Burnhope Seat 2,447 746 NY7879037536
East Lothian Meikle Says Law 1,755 535 NT581617
Essex High Wood, Chrishall Common 482 147 TL4430136202
Fermanagh Cuilcagh* 2,182 665 H123280
Fife West Lomond 1,713 522 NO197066
Flintshire Moel Famau 1,817 555 SJ1610962667
Glamorgan Craig y Llyn 1,969 600 SN9068903156
Gloucestershire Cleeve Hill 1,082 330 SO9969624599
Hampshire Walbury Hill* 974 297 SU3734861631
Herefordshire Black Mountain 2,306 703 SO2558835051
Hertfordshire Pavis Wood 800 244 SP9142009190
Huntingdonshire Bush Ground, Covington 263 80 TL0472071050
Inverness-shire Ben Nevis 4,409 1,344 NN166712
Kent Betsom's Hill 823 251 TQ4355556332
Kincardineshire Mount Battock 2,552 778 NO549844
Kinross-shire Innerdouny Hill 1,631 497 NO032073
Kirkcudbrightshire Merrick 2,766 843 NX427855
Lanarkshire Culter Fell 2,454 748 NT052290
Lancashire Coniston Old Man[1] 2,634 803 SD2723797827
Leicestershire Bardon Hill 912 278 SK4599213199
Lincolnshire Normanby Top, The Wolds 551 168 TF1211096470
Londonderry Sawel Mountain* 2,224 678 H618973
Merionethshire Aran Fawddwy 2,969 905 SH8627222386
Middlesex Bushey Heath 509 155 TQ1523593970
Midlothian Blackhope Scar 2,136 651 NT315483
Monmouthshire Chwarel y Fan 2,228 680 SO2581929416
Montgomeryshire Moel Sych 2,726 827 SJ0663231863
Morayshire Carn a' Ghille Chearr 2,329 710 NJ139298
Nairnshire Carn Glas-choire 2,162 659 NH891291
Norfolk Beacon Hill 343 105 TG1835941425
Northamptonshire Arbury Hill 738 225 SP5401558770
Northumberland The Cheviot 2,674 815 NT9090420522
Nottinghamshire Newtonwood Lane, near Huthwaite 671 205 SK45626065
Orkney Ward Hill, Hoy 1,578 481 HY228022
Oxfordshire Bald Hill 843 257 SU7288595775?
Peeblesshire Broad Law 2,756 840 NT146235
Pembrokeshire Foel Cwmcerwyn 1,760 536 SN0940931161
Perthshire Ben Lawers 3,983 1,214 NN635414
Radnorshire Great Rhos 2,166 660 SO1821963902
Renfrewshire Hill of Stake 1,713 522 NS273630
Ross-shire Carn Eige 3,881 1,183 NH123261
Roxburghshire Cairn Hill West Top 2,438 743 NT895193
Rutland Flitteris Park 646 197 SK8270808533
Selkirkshire Dun Rig 2,441 840 NT254315
Shetland Ronas Hill 1,476 450 HU305834
Shropshire Brown Clee Hill 1,772 540 SO5936686556
Somerset Dunkery Beacon 1,702 519 SS8914341587
Staffordshire Cheeks Hill 1,705 520 SK0260969904
Stirlingshire Ben Lomond 3,196 974 NN367028
Suffolk Great Wood, Rede 420 128 TL7869055863
Surrey Leith Hill 965 294 TQ1394943162
Sussex Black Down 918 280 SU9193529613
Sutherland Ben More Assynt 3,274 998 NC318201
Tyrone Sawel Mountain* 2,224 678 H618973
Warwickshire Ebrington Hill shoulder[2], Ilmington 853 260 SP187425
West Lothian Cairnpapple Hill (South Top)[3] 1,024 312 NS987711
Westmorland Helvellyn 3,117 950 NY3426015090
Wigtownshire Craigairie Fell 1,056 322 NX236736
Wiltshire Milk Hill 967 295 SU1041564341
Worcestershire Worcestershire Beacon 1,394 425 SO7688445223
Yorkshire Mickle Fell 2,585 788 NY8058224534

Yorkshire Riding Tops

Riding Hill Height (ft) Height (m) Grid reference
East Riding Bishop Wilton Wold 807 246 SE8218257026
North Riding Mickle Fell 2,585 788 NY8058224534
West Riding Whernside 2,415 736 SD7385081415

County tops of the Republic of Ireland

In the Irish Republic, nine Counties share a highest point with another county, whether a British or Irish county, and these are marked with an asterisk; *

Carrauntoohil, County Kerry; the highest mountain in Munster and all Ireland
Lugnaquilla, County Wicklow. The highest mountain in Leinster
Mweelrea, County Mayo. The highest mountain in Connaught
County Hill Height (ft) Height (m) Grid reference
Carlow Mount Leinster* 2,612 796 S844528
Cavan Cuilcagh* 2,182 665 H123280
Clare Moylussa 1,745 532 R64837593
Cork Knockboy 2,316 706 W00486206
Donegal Errigal 2,464 751 B92832078
Dublin Kippure 2,484 757 O11581546
Galway Benbaun 2,392 729 L78565390
Kerry Carrauntoohil 3,406 1,038 V80368442
Kildare Cupidstown Hill 1,243 379 O00572060
Kilkenny Brandon Hill 1,690 515 Q460116
Laois Arderin* 1,729 527 S23259890
Leitrim Truskmore Cairn 2,070 631 G759473
Limerick Galtymore* 3,015 919 R87852379
Longford Corn Hill 912 278 N187841
Louth Slieve Foy 1,932 589 J16901193
Mayo Mweelrea 2,671 814 L789668
Meath Carnbane East 915 279 N585775
Monaghan Slieve Beagh East Top 1,224 373 H532435
Offaly Arderin* 1,729 527 S23259890
Roscommon Corrie Mountain SE Top 1,385 422 G901202
Sligo Truskmore 2,123 647 G759473
Tipperary Galtymore* 3,015 919 R87852379
Waterford Knockmealdown 2,605 794 S058084
Westmeath Mullaghmeen 856 261 N469793
Wexford Mount Leinster* 2,612 796 S844528
Wicklow Lugnaquilla 3,035 925 T032917

Territory tops

Mount Paget, South Georgia

The following lists the highest point in each of the British overseas territories and Crown dependencies.

Territory Hill (& island) Height (ft) Location
Akrotiri and Dhekelia Lane junction on Kyparissovounos 951 34°42’20"N, 32°50’18"E
Anguilla Crocus Hill 213 18°12’43"N, 630706°0’0"W
Bermuda Town Hill 249 32°19’0"N, 64°43’60"W
British Antarctic Territory Mount Hope

(Palmer Land)

10,626 69°46’0"S, 64°34’0"W
British Indian Ocean Territory (unnamed)

Diego Garcia

49 7°18’-0"S, 72°24’0"E
British Virgin Islands Mount Sage

Tortola

1,709 18°24’-0"N, 64°39’0"W
Cayman Islands The Bluff, limestone outcrop

Cayman Brac

141 19°44’7"N, 79°44’9"W
Falkland Islands Mount Usborne

East Falkland

2,313 51°41’50"S, 58°50’4"W
Gibraltar O'Hara's Battery 1,398 36°7’42"N, 5°20’39"W
Guernsey, Bailiwick of Le Moulin

Sark

375 49°26’9"N, 2°21’39"W
Isle of Man Snaefell 2,034 SC397881
Jersey, Bailiwick of Les Platons

Jersey

469 49°14’52"N, 2°6’18"W
Montserrat Chances Peak 3,002 16°42’40"N, 62°10’38"W
Pitcairn Islands Pawala Valley Ridge

Pitcairn

1,138 25°4’0"S, 130°7’0"W
South Georgia and
the South Sandwich Islands
Mount Paget

South Georgia

9,629 54°25’60"S, 36°33’-0"W
St Helena, Ascension and
Tristan da Cunha
Queen Mary's Peak

Tristan da Cunha

6,765 37°5’30"S, 12°16’60"W
Turks and Caicos Islands Flamingo Hill[4]

East Caicos

157 21°43’0"N, 71°33’0"W

Outside links

Footnotes and references

  1. Lancashire's county top is believed to be the Old Man of Coniston but a claim is also made for nearby Swirl How, which is a few feet lower or higher, depending on exact measurement and perhaps on whether the cairn at the summit of the Old Man is included.
  2. The very top of Ebrington Hill is in Gloucestershire; Warwickshire's highest point is at the county border some yards to the SE
  3. West Lothian: possibly The Knock at 1,023 feet
  4. B Naqqi Manco: The Hills Are Alive - The Times of the Islands, Winter 2011/2012