Update to The Relative Hills of Britain

November 1995

Alan Dawson

This book was published in April 1992. Stocks at Cicerone Press are still plentiful, so a printed second edition seems a long way off. But past and future purchasers are entitled to have up-to-date information, so the most important changes since publication are summarised here. These updates will not make much sense to anyone without a copy of the book.

Acknowledgments

Most of the updates are the result of new 1:25000 or 1:10000 maps being published by the Ordnance Survey. This makes it easy to spot changes to heights of known hills, but not so easy to find new ones. However, I've had a fair bit of help in tracking down the new entries. I should like to thank E.D.Clements (Clem) for numerous suggestions leading to the discovery of several new Marilyns, Dave Hewitt for discovering East Cairn Hill, and David Smith for suggesting a second Kentish Marilyn. Thanks also to Ann Bowker, Charles Everett, Fiona Torbet and everyone else who has written to me with comments and suggestions.

Additions

These hills have managed to convince me that they are entitled to be counted as Marilyns. The drop shown refers to the height difference (in metres) between the summit and the col connecting the hill to the next Marilyn. If there is more than one col, the highest col is used. If there is no spot height at the col, the drop is estimated from the position of contour lines - this is indicated by a c in the drop column.

Deletions

These hills are now known to have less than 150 metres drop all round. Originally I intended that there should be no deletions, but when I discovered Cunnigill Hill had a drop of only 127 metres, I realised that it would have to go. It's very sad to see the majestic Sgorr Tuath and Scafell disappear with it, but there are so many hills queuing up for promotion that I decided I had to be ruthless with anything that did not meet the 150-metre mark.

The 15 additions and 6 deletions bring the current total of Marilyns to 1551 - 1213 in Scotland, 155 in Wales, 178 in England and 5 in the Isle of Man. It seems unlikely that many more will be discovered, though it is possible that one or two near misses will be promoted in areas where metric 1:10000 or 1:25000 maps have not yet been published.

Replacements

Nominal Changes

Moving Targets

The summits of these hills have moved to a new home but kept their old name.

Wuthering Heights

I started to list all the hills that have changed height but there are now so many (almost all in Scotland) that I gave up. The Ordnance Survey have finally admitted that heights on metric 1:25000 maps (where available) are more accurate than on 1:50000 maps, and they have started to update some of the heights on a few of the 1:50000 maps. Therefore heights are now taken from 1:25000 maps where possible, even where these are lower than on Landranger maps. A complete list of all new heights, including the drop all round (i.e. the relative height of every Marilyn and Munro) is currently being compiled. Some of the more significant new heights are shown below (with the change shown in metres).

Twin Peaks

These hills are of equal height to a nearby Marilyn but the drop between them is less than 150 metres. It is a somewhat arbitrary decision to include one rather than the other.

Near Misses

The following 34 hills miss out on Marilyn status by one or two metres, as they each have a drop all round of 148 or 149 metres, according to the most recently available maps.

I have compiled a list of a further 172 hills that have a drop of 140-147 metres. This includes seven Munros (Beinn a'Chleibh, Stob a'Choire Mheadhoin, Cairn Gorm, Derry Cairngorm, Mullach na Dheiragain, Sgurr Fhuar-thuill, Sgurr Fiona), one Munro Top (Stob na Doire on Buachaille Etive Mor), one Donald (Cramalt Craig), seven Nuttalls (Rhinog Fach, Cushat Law, Great Calva, Bowfell, Yewbarrow, Wetherlam, Chapelfell Top), five new islands (Soay, Tiree, Seil, Colonsay, Lundy) and twelve hills in the south of England, which badly needs them. This list is available on request to anyone interested.

Corbetts and Grahams

The Lesser Corbetts (Elsies) have been renamed Grahams in memory of the late Fiona Torbet (nee Graham) who compiled her own list of Scottish hills between 2000 and 2500 feet before agreeing to merge it with the relevant Scottish Marilyns. There are currently 224 of them, as Ladylea Hill has been promoted and Beinn Talaidh demoted. Beinn Talaidh is still shown as 763 metres on the 1:25000 and 1:10000 maps, but this point is clearly outside the 760-metre contour ring and does not exist. A booklet including the official list of Grahams has been published by TACit Press, House 48, 170 Sandiefield Road, Glasgow G5 0DL (1.95 inc p&p).

The number of Corbetts is down to 219, as Beinn Talaidh is now a Graham. Corrieyairack Hill, which was never a Marilyn but still regarded as a Corbett by the Scottish Mountaineering Club, is down to 892 metres, leaving Gairbeinn at 896 metres currently undisputed as a Corbett.

Loose Ends

Lewesdon Hill has superseded Pilsdon Pen as the County Top for Dorset. Cheriton Hill has replaced Detling Hill (North Downs) as the Easternmost Marilyn.

Roineabhal on Harris is still standing despite imminent threats from Redland Aggregates to demolish it. Hensbarrow Beacon, Bardon Hill and Manod Mawr are also still surviving man's efforts to remove them.

The world's leading Marilyn bagger is currently Rowland Bowker, who on 18th March 1995 became the first person to climb 1000 Marilyns. His wife Ann is not far behind.

The Cheviot has been confirmed as Britain's boggiest summit, though rumours indicate it has now been paved over as part of a project to concrete the entire Pennine Way.