County top
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

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; *
| 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
The following lists the highest point in each of the British overseas territories and Crown dependencies.
Outside links
- Map of the County Tops on WildþingUK
- County Descriptions - The Historic Counties Trust
- Hill Bagging - Historic County Tops
- Hill Bagging – English Counties; The Mountains of England and Wales, Simon Edwardes
Footnotes and references
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ The very top of Ebrington Hill is in Gloucestershire; Warwickshire's highest point is at the county border some yards to the SE
- ↑ West Lothian: possibly The Knock at 1,023 feet
- ↑ B Naqqi Manco: The Hills Are Alive - The Times of the Islands, Winter 2011/2012