Earlier in the year we featured our pick from Scotland’s best wee hills. But apart from the promise of a view, little attracts people more to climb a smaller hill than the chance to visit a hilltop monument. Built to become local landmarks, these follies, memorials and towers appear in many forms, and scattered all around the country. They form the subject of our latest gallery.

Fyrish Monument, Easter Ross



The striking monument on Cnoc Fyrish above the Cromarty Firth is a familiar sight to travellers on this part of the A9. Close up it is even more impressive than when seen from below – a huge structure of three central arches and four flanking towers. It was built in 1783 by Sir Hector Munro – the local laird. He had been commander of British Forces in India, and defeated the Dutch at the Battle of Negapatam. On his return to the Highlands the Clearances were underway and many people were starving. After the fashion of the time famine relief was provided only in return for work – it being feared that feeding the starving would make them lazy – and the construction of the monument was one of the tasks given to the local destitute. It is a replica of the gates of Negapatam, to enhance Munro’s glory.



The towering Kitchener Memorial has a stunning cliff top position on Orkney’s West Coast walk. The memorial was built in 1926 by the people of Orkney to commemorate the Minister of War Lord Kitchener and the crew of HMS Hampshire who lost their lives when the ship hit a mine in 1916 around 2.5km offshore from this point. Out of a crew of over 600 only 12 men survived.

Ben Bhraggie, Sutherland



The Mannie is the local name for the Sutherland monument, rising above Golspie. The 100 foot statue is of the first Duke of Sutherland, notorious for his role in the clearances of his tenants in the early nineteenth century. After his death in 1833, money for the statue was raised by subscription. Recently some campaigners have called for the monument to be removed but many others feel it should remain as a memorial to the cruelty of the clearances.

Airlie Monument, Angus



The Airlie monument is a familar landmark in the lower reaches of Glen Clova and Glen Prosen, situated on Tulloch Hill between the two. It is well worth a visit for the fine views as well as to see the monument itself – a memorial to the ninth Earl of Airlie who died in the Boer war.

Our Lady of the Sea, Heaval,, Isle of Barra



This giant white statue of the virgin and child is situated a little below the summit of Heaval, the highest point on the beautiful Isle of Barra. The statue was built in 1954.



Clermiston Tower was built to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Sir Walter Scott, and given to the city of Edinburgh to commemorate the centenary of his death; it is sometimes open to the public on Sundays during the summer.

Dun na Cuaiche, Argyll



This tower was built by Roger Morris and William Adam in 1748. It was built as a folly by the owners of the massive Inverary Castle below, and is a landmark on both the estate and from the town on the shores of Loch Fyne.

Kinpurney Hill, Angus



The intriguing tower atop Kinpurney Hill was built in 1774 by James Mackenzie, a keen astronomer, and used as an observatory. The tower was restored in the 1970s and stands next to the site of an unfinished iron-age fort, remains of the vitrified walls and the large ditch can be seen in the area of the viewfinder and trig point.



The massive Malcolm Memorial commemorates Major General Sir John Malcolm – a soldier and MP; less conventional is the striking modern monument on the flanks of the hill. This commemorates the celebrated poet Christopher Murray Grieve – better known as Hugh MacDiarmid – who was born in Langholm.



The furthest point of the rugged, cliff-girt Oa peninsula is crowned by the 131m high American Monument. It commemorates the loss of two troop ships in 1918; on 5 February the Tuscania was torpedoed 7 miles off the coast here with the loss of 200 American soldiers and 60 British crew, whilst later that year a further 351 US servicemen and 80 British crew were lost when the H.M.S. Otranto sank off Machir Bay, following a collision. It’s a haunting and dramatic spot with wide views of Northern Ireland on a good day.

Murray Monument, Dumfries and Galloway



This impressive memorial was built to commemorate Alexander Murray, raised as a shepherd boy in this remote part of Galloway. He went on to become a professor of Oriental Languages at Edinburgh University. It offers grandstand views over the area.



The massive Waterloo Monument on the grassy hill of Peniel Heugh is a landmark in many a Borders view. An impressive 150 feet high, the monument was built between 1817 and 1824 to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo. The hill itself is also the site of an iron age fort.

McDuff Monument and Lynedoch Obelisk, Scone



McDuff’s Monument was built as a folly back in 1783 by the family who lived in Bonhard House. Only a short distance away is the Lynedoch Obelisk, which was built in 1853 in memory of Lord Lynedoch who fought with Wellington to free Portugal and Spain in the battle of Barossa in 1811.

Calton Hill, Edinburgh



When it comes to monuments, nowhere could outdo Calton Hill in the heart of Edinburgh. Biggest is the National Monument, which was started as a replica of the Parthenon in Athens in 1826. It was built to commemorate the dead of the Napoleonic Wars, but was never completed as money ran out in 1829. Taller is the Nelson Monument. Built in 1807 to resemble Nelson’s telescope, you can pay to climb the stone spiral steps for an even better view of the Castle and city itself. Perhaps the most picturesque though is the Dugald Stewart Monument, with its elegant Grecian columns. It was built by William Henry Playfair, and it commemorates Stewart, a Scottish philosopher at Edinburgh University from the mid 1780’s to his death in 1828.



Best known of all monuments is this one to Sir William Wallace, which stands immensely impressive on the wooded summit of Abbey Craig near Stirling. It is one of Scotland’s best known landmarks and a national icon. It is free to walk to the base; those who pay for admission at the visitor centre can ascend the tower via a spiral staircase, and see the Wallace’s enormous broadsword and the superb views from the top.

More to see…

We’ve not enough space to cover every hilltop memorial here, but also deserving of special mention is Scolty Hill above Banchory on Deeside, the Covenanter’s Memorial on Orkney, and the Waterloo Monument above New Abbey in Galloway.