Ramparts, ditches and a burial cairn crown the high summit of Dumglow in the Cleish Hills. Dumglow is a hillfort, a defended enclosure on high ground, set on the highest peak of the Cleish Hills north of Dunfermline.
The site matters because it combines defensive architecture and burial in one summit setting. The ancient fort was strengthened by several sets of ramparts and ditches on its east side, while a burial cairn lies within the remains of the fort.
What follows is drawn from published sources, with each claim labelled by how firmly it is established.
The name
A cairn is a mound of stones, often used to mark a burial, route or significant place.
History
Dumglow is the highest peak of the Cleish Hills in Perth and Kinross.
An ancient fort lies on the summit.
The fort is defended by several sets of ramparts and ditches on its east side.
A burial cairn lies within the remains of the fort.
What to look for
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Summit fort
The fort uses Dumglow's high position in the Cleish Hills.
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East-side defences
Several ramparts and ditches strengthen the eastern approach.
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Burial cairn
The cairn inside the fort adds a burial or memorial layer to the defended site.
Plan your visit
- Location
- 56.1525°N · 3.4890°W
- Access
- Open access
- Terrain
- Moderate walking
Opening & admission
- Summit hillfort on the highest peak of the Cleish Hills.
- Expect steep hill terrain if accessed by a legitimate route; source gives no visitor access details.
Nearby places
Settlement · Medieval
Lochleven Castle
Perth and Kinross
This island stronghold was the prison from which Mary, Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate before her dramatic escape in 1568.
- Some walking
Building or ruin · Medieval
Dunfermline Abbey
Fife
An earlier priory at Dunfermline dated back to the reign of Malcolm III (Máel Coluim mac Donnchada, 'Malcolm Canmore', reigned 1058–93) and his que…
- Near Dunfermline
- 2 min walk from car park
Fortified place · Medieval
Burleigh Castle
Perth and Kinross
A late-medieval Balfour tower house whose royal visitors and Jacobite-tinged family history trace the changing fortunes of a Scottish laird's line.
Questions people ask
- What is Dumglow?
- It is the highest peak of the Cleish Hills and the site of an ancient hillfort.
- What is a hillfort?
- A hillfort is a defended enclosure on high ground, usually protected by banks, walls or ditches.
- What defences are recorded at Dumglow?
- The fort has several sets of ramparts and ditches on its east side.
- What is a burial cairn?
- A burial cairn is a mound of stones associated with burial or commemoration.
- Where is Dumglow?
- It is in the Cleish Hills in Perth and Kinross, north of Dunfermline.
Sources
Explore more: Fortified places · Iron Age · Perth and Kinross
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