Dungeon Hills facts for kids

The rugged landscape of the Dungeon Hills.

The Dungeon Hills are a group of hills in Scotland. They are part of the larger Galloway Hills range. These hills are located in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The Dungeon Hills are in the middle of three parallel ridges. To their west is the Range of the Awful Hand. To their east are the Rhinns of Kells. They are also next to the Minnigaff Hills to the south. All four of these hill ranges are part of the beautiful Galloway Forest Park.

The Dungeon Hills: A Scottish Adventure

The Dungeon Hills are known for being the lowest and most rugged of the Galloway Hills. The highest point is Mullwharchar, which reaches 692 meters (about 2,270 feet) high. These hills are split between two areas: East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway. This split happens along a low point between Mullwharchar and Dungeon Hill. Many people say these are the roughest hills in the Southern Uplands. Walks here can take longer than expected. This is because the ground can be very uneven, with lots of grassy clumps and boggy, wet areas.

Exploring the Landscape

The Dungeon Hills are quite remote. The closest main road to the north is about 2 miles away. This road is near Craigmalloch on the banks of Loch Doon. To get there, you need to use a smaller, unclassified road. Because of this, many hikers start their journey at the Glentrool Visitor Centre. This center is to the southwest. From there, they follow a path past Loch Trool. Then they climb up opposite the Gairland Burn. Eventually, they reach Loch Valley and Loch Neldricken.

There is also a longer path from the Glentrool Visitor Centre. This path is easier at the start. It follows the way to the Merrick. But hikers turn right at Culsharg bothy. They then follow the Buchan Burn to Loch Enoch. This allows them to walk a circular route around the hills.

Top Peaks and Their Heights

Here are some of the main hills in the range, listed from north to south:

Nature and Wildlife

A very special protected area called Silver Flowe is located just east of the Dungeon Hills. This area is a type of wet, peaty land known as a blanket mire. It is considered the most untouched area of acid peatland in southern Scotland. Silver Flowe is part of a larger protected area called the Silver Flowe-Merrick Kells Biosphere Reserve. This reserve includes a big part of the hills to both the west and east. It is also a Natura 2000 site, which means it is important for nature across Europe.

Special Protected Areas

This area is very popular with many kinds of insects. You can often see swarms of dragonflies (Odonata), hoverflies (Syrphidae), and butterflies (Lepidoptera) during the summer. In the past, many of the nearby lochs (lakes) had problems with acid pollution. However, they have now partly recovered. Populations of Brown trout are stable, and sometimes new fish are added to the lochs. Important rivers like the River Doon, River Cree, and River Dee either start in these hills or have smaller streams that flow from them.

What's in a Name?

Many of the places around the Dungeon Hills have unusual names. You won't find these names anywhere else in Scotland. Some examples include the Rig of the Jarkness, Clints of the Buss, Lump of the Eglin, the Wolf Slock, and Seggy Gut. Most of the hill names come from the Scottish Gaelic language. For example, Mullwharchar comes from the Gaelic words Maol Adhairce.