County boundaries often follow a watershed or ridge of high ground, and therefore they tend to be unsuitable for dividing groups of hills into different regions. For this reason the division of the country into 42 regions in Chapter 3 is based more on geographical features such as rivers and passes than on county boundaries. However, counties are well-known and well-established, and so a list of the highest point in each county is likely to be more meaningful than the highest points of 42 arbitrary regions. The county tops were listed by George Bridge in his book The Mountains of England and Wales, but publication of this was soon followed by the reorganisation of local government, as well as the reorganisation of Ordnance Survey maps, so the list is doubly out of date.
In most counties the highest point is also a Marilyn, but not all the county tops can be regarded as summits. Some are indeterminate points along a county boundary on the slope of a hill, while others are wholly within a county but have no clearly identifiable highest point. The appeal of this type of top is fairly limited, though some walkers might relish the challenge of locating and standing on the highest point in each county.
The details of the county tops are set out below in the same format used for the Marilyns in Chapters 3 and 4, with the Marilyn number given where relevant. In counties where the highest point is not a Marilyn, then both the highest point and the highest Marilyn are listed. If there is no Marilyn in the county, then just the highest point is given. The list is given first in alphabetical order of county and then in height order.
Number Metres Feet Name Map Grid Ref Date
330 840 2756 Broad Law 72 NT 146235 ______
12 1174 3852 Ben More 51 NN 432244 ______
324 843 2766 Merrick 77 NX 428855 ______
932 522 1713 West Lomond 58 NO 197066 ______
2 1309 4296 Ben Macdui 36/43 NN 989989 ______
1 1344 4408 Ben Nevis 41 NN 166713 ______
691 651 2137 Blackhope Scar 73 NT 315483 ______
27 1126 3695 Ben Cruachan 50 NN 069304 ______
7 1214 3984 Ben Lawers 51 NN 636414 ______
1031 481 1577 Ward Hill 6/7 HY 229022 ______
1104 450 1475 Ronas Hill 3 HU 305835 ______
394 799 2622 Clisham 13/14 NB 155073 ______
Number Metres Feet Name Map Grid Ref Date
342 830 2723 Cadair Berwyn 125 SJ 071323 ______
Highest Marilyn:
479 752 2467 Plynlimon - Pen Pumlumon Fawr 135 SN 789869 ______
Highest Point:
- 781 2561 Fan Foel 160 SN 821223 ______
Highest Marilyn:
778 596 1955 Sugar Loaf 161 SO 272188 ______
Highest Point:
- 679 2228 Chwarel y Fan 161 SO 258294 ______
43 1085 3560 Snowdon - Yr Wyddfa 115 SH 609544 ______
Highest Marilyn:
1238 382 1253 Cefn Eglwysilan 171 ST 097905 ______
Highest Point:
- 588 1929 Craig y Llyn 170 SN 909031 ______
260 886 2906 Pen y Fan 160 SO 012216 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 264 866 *Craig Llysfaen 171 ST 190851 ______
773 600 1969 Craig y Llyn 170 SN 907032 ______
Number Metres Feet Name Map Grid Ref Date
Highest Marilyn:
1473 233 764 *Dundry Down 172/182 ST 553667 ______
Highest Point:
- 264 866 Niver Hill 182 ST 565539 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 243 798 Dunstable Downs 166 TL 009194 ______
1373 297 974 Walbury Hill 174 SU 373616 ______
1429 267 876 Haddington Hill 165 SP 890089 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 146 480 Great Chishill 154 TL 428384 ______
856 559 1834 Shining Tor 118 SJ 994737 ______
1327 329 1078 Gisborough Moor 94 NZ 634123 ______
1164 420 1377 Brown Willy 201 SX 158800 ______
138 978 3210 Scafell Pike 89/90 NY 215072 ______
708 636 2088 Kinder Scout 110 SK 086875 ______
726 621 2038 High Willhays 191 SX 580892 ______
1416 277 908 Pilsdon Pen 193 ST 413011 ______
414 788 2585 Mickle Fell 91/92 NY 804243 ______
1461 248 813 Ditchling Beacon 198 TQ 331130 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 147 482 Chrishall Common 154 TL 443362 ______
1323 330 1083 Cleeve Hill 163 SO 997246 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 542 1778 Black Chew Head 110 SE 056020 ______
Highest Marilyn:
1423 270 887 Butser Hill 197 SU 717203 ______
Highest Point:
- 286 937 Pilot Hill 174 SU 398601 ______
585 703 2306 *Black Mountain 161 SO 255350 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 244 802 *Pavis Wood 165 SP 914092 ______
1464 246 807 Bishop Wilton Wold 106 SE 821569 ______
1469 240 786 St Boniface Down 196 SZ 568785 ______
Highest Marilyn:
1508 200 656 North Downs 178/188 TQ 804586 ______
Highest Point:
- 251 823 Betsom's Hill 187 TQ 436563 ______
Highest Marilyn:
850 561 1839 Ward's Stone 102 SD 592587 ______
Highest Point:
- 627 2057 Gragareth 98 SD 687792 ______
1413 278 912 Bardon Hill 129 SK 460132 ______
1535 168 550 *The Wolds 113 TF 121964 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 250 820 Botley Hill 187 TQ 407563 ______
1524 179 587 Billinge Hill 108 SD 525014 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 102 336 Beacon Hill 133 TG 186413 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 225 737 Arbury Hill 152 SP 540587 ______
359 815 2674 The Cheviot 74/75 NT 909205 ______
510 736 2416 Whernside 98 SD 738814 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 203 666 *Newtonwood Lane 120 SK 457605 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 261 855 Whitehorse Hill 174 SU 301864 ______
901 540 1771 Brown Clee Hill 137/138 SO 593866 ______
943 519 1704 Dunkery Beacon 181 SS 891416 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 546 1791 Margery Hill 110 SK 189957 ______
Highest Marilyn:
1227 385 1264 Gun 118 SJ 970615 ______
Highest Point:
- 520 1705 Cheeks Hill 119 SK 026699 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 128 419 Great Wood 155 TL 786559 ______
1380 295 968 Leith Hill 187 TQ 139431 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 259 850 Currock Hill 88 NZ 107592 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 261 855 Ebrington Hill 151 SP 187426 ______
No Marilyn. Highest Point:
- 270 885 Turner's Hill 139 SO 967887 ______
1409 280 919 Black Down 186/197 SU 919296 ______
799 582 1908 Black Hill 110 SE 078047 ______
Highest Marilyn:
1391 288 945 Long Knoll 183 ST 786376 ______
Highest Point:
- 295 968 Milk Hill 173 SU 104643 ______
County Number Metres Feet Name Section Date
Highland 1 1344 4408 Ben Nevis 4A ______ Grampian 2 1309 4296 Ben Macdui 8 ______ Tayside 7 1214 3984 Ben Lawers 2B ______ Central 12 1174 3852 Ben More 1C ______ Strathclyde 27 1126 3695 Ben Cruachan 3C ______ Gwynedd 43 1085 3560 Snowdon - Yr Wyddfa 30B ______ Cumbria 138 978 3210 Scafell Pike 34B ______ Powys 260 886 2906 Pen y Fan 32A ______ Dumfries & Galloway 324 843 2766 Merrick 27B ______ Borders 330 840 2756 Broad Law 28B ______ Clwyd 342 830 2723 Cadair Berwyn 30E ______ Northumberland 359 815 2674 The Cheviot 33 ______ Western Isles 394 799 2622 Clisham 24B ______ Durham 414 788 2585 Mickle Fell 35A ______ Dyfed - 781 2561 Fan Foel 32A ______ North Yorkshire 510 736 2416 Whernside 35B ______ Hereford & Worcester 585 703 2306 *Black Mountain 38B ______ Gwent - 679 2228 Chwarel y Fan 32A ______ Lothian 691 651 2137 Blackhope Scar 28A ______ Derbyshire 708 636 2088 Kinder Scout 36 ______ Lancashire - 627 2057 Gragareth 36 ______ Devon 726 621 2038 High Willhays 40 ______ West Glamorgan 773 600 1969 Craig y Llyn 32C ______ Mid Glamorgan - 588 1929 Craig y Llyn 32C ______ West Yorkshire 799 582 1908 Black Hill 36 ______ Cheshire 856 559 1834 Shining Tor 36 ______ South Yorkshire - 546 1791 Margery Hill 36 ______ Greater Manchester - 542 1778 Black Chew Head 36 ______ Shropshire 901 540 1771 Brown Clee Hill 38A ______ Fife 932 522 1713 West Lomond 26 ______ Staffordshire - 520 1705 Cheeks Hill 36 ______ Somerset 943 519 1704 Dunkery Beacon 41 ______ Orkney 1031 481 1577 Ward Hill 23 ______ Shetland 1104 450 1475 Ronas Hill 22 ______ Cornwall 1164 420 1377 Brown Willy 40 ______ Gloucestershire 1323 330 1083 Cleeve Hill 39 ______ Cleveland 1327 329 1078 Gisborough Moor 37 ______ Berkshire 1373 297 974 Walbury Hill 42 ______ Surrey 1380 295 968 Leith Hill 42 ______ Wiltshire - 295 968 Milk Hill 39 ______ Hampshire - 286 937 Pilot Hill 42 ______ West Sussex 1409 280 919 Black Down 42 ______ Leicestershire 1413 278 912 Bardon Hill 39 ______ Dorset 1416 277 908 Pilsdon Pen 41 ______ West Midlands - 270 885 Turner's Hill 39 ______ Buckinghamshire 1429 267 876 Haddington Hill 39 ______ Avon - 264 866 Niver Hill 41 ______ South Glamorgan - 264 866 *Craig Llysfaen 32C ______ Oxfordshire - 261 855 Whitehorse Hill 39 ______ Warwickshire - 261 855 Ebrington Hill 39 ______ Tyne & Wear - 259 850 Currock Hill 35A ______ Kent - 251 823 Betsom's Hill 42 ______ London - 250 820 Botley Hill 42 ______ East Sussex 1461 248 813 Ditchling Beacon 42 ______ Humberside 1464 246 807 Bishop Wilton Wold 37 ______ Hertfordshire - 244 802 *Pavis Wood 39 ______ Bedfordshire - 243 798 Dunstable Downs 39 ______ Isle of Wight 1469 240 786 St Boniface Down 42 ______ Northamptonshire - 225 737 Arbury Hill 39 ______ Nottinghamshire - 203 666 *Newtonwood Lane 37 ______ Merseyside 1524 179 587 Billinge Hill 36 ______ Lincolnshire 1535 168 550 *The Wolds 37 ______ Essex - 147 482 Chrishall Common 39 ______ Cambridgeshire - 146 480 Great Chishill 39 ______ Suffolk - 128 419 Great Wood 39 ______ Norfolk - 102 336 Beacon Hill 39 ______Index