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Name:Ward Hill
Hill number:1549
Height:481m / 1578ft
RHB Section:23: Orkney Islands
County/UA:Orkney Islands
County (CoH):Orkney (CoH)
County (CoA):Orkney (CoA)
Island:Hoy
Class:Marilyn, Hump, Tump (400-499m), Historic County Top, Current County/UA Top,
Administrative County Top, SIB, Yeaman
(Ma,Hu,Tu,4,CoH,CoU,CoA,SIB,Y)
Grid ref:HY 22863 02239
Summit feature:large cairn 12m W of trig point
Drop:481m
Col:Sea
OS map sheet(s):(1:50k) 6 7
(1:25k) 462
Observations:mound on which cairn is built could be man-made
Survey:Abney level
Change log:show changes for this hill entry
GPS data:show GPS entries for this hill
Notes:
  • Orkney (1974) administrative county top
  • Orkney historic county top
  • Orkney Islands current county/UA top

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Logged Descriptions  (logged by 164 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all)ByDate of Ascent
CK SheilaS19/10/2022
Anti clockwise circuit over Ward Hill, Cuilags and outliers.vegibagger30/08/2022
From the Dwarfie Stane parking area. Straight up steep slopes then up onto Haist (333m). Poor visibility in clouds and light rain. Up to the trig and back the same way. Solo.Dangerous Dave06/08/2022
Foot passenger ferry from stromness. Easy amble, sloping line from high point past loch. Misty on top. One dead bonxie- avian flu Slow amble back with more than enough time for a cafe stop and a sit down before ferry to stromness …..VerySlowPlodder01/06/2022
Straight up really from the first hill. Quite a flat top. Trig point has a shelter circle around and a huge cairn beside it. Came of the other side over the ridge but had to head back to the ferry as they wanted us to leave at 5.30.tallblond01/05/2022
Round of Cuilags and Ward Hill from reservoir in betweenTopographer5720/08/2021
My 1000th marilyn. From Moaness ferry walked straight up road then the path to Rackwick to the highest point on the col where there is a big cairn 215025, climbed up the ridge to the summit, not too bad underfoot with bits of paths most of the way. From the summit folowed the ridge above the Howes of Quoyawa and down to the west of the Devils Stane car park, then onto Knap of Trowiegien. Quite a windy day but good shelter at the trig point for some celebrations.JulieB08/09/2020
from Moaness ferry, sw along road then path to col beyond Sandy Loch. Up easy slopes to the summit. Off se over Haist, then down s ridge before short steep section sw towards Nowt Bield and down to the minor road following low fence. KeithByTheC08/09/2020
2 of 3: From Cuilags. Retrieved the other rucsac, then up to the track HP. Then rough ground but easier gradient south of Water Glen. Cloud drifted across whilst we ate lunch at the shelter cairn but lifted as soon as we continued. With Karen.ChrisR06/08/2020
2nd steep slog from the Sandy Loch following Cuilags. Onto Knap of Trowieglen. Used the Howes of Quoyawa to the Dwafie Stane car park.N.Morters24/08/2019
After ferry from Stromness, 40 minute walk to Sandy Loch then up SE from the SW end over quite rough heather. Rewarded with 5 minutes of cloud free summit so that I could put this fine hill into perspective. On to Round HillThearlaichdubh01/08/2019
From Knap Of Trowieglen as part of a double-Marilyn morning.summitter23/07/2019
After Cuilags, headed SW away from Sandy Loch and up the Redglen ridge, faint track, plenty of Bonxies activity low down. Great view from top over Orkney mainland. Lots Hares running around on the top. Decided to descend to south of Redglen, but still encountered Bonxies.PeterD28/06/2019
Burn of the Nowt Bield Bridge > Ward Hill South Summit (420m) > Ward Hill > Howes of Quoyawa > Nowt Bield > Burn of the Nowt Bield Bridge.Winterfloodian04/06/2019
Winter ferry times require a no-nonsense approach to Hoy Marilyns, so parked below Round Hill, and scooted up Cuileags on steep, easy ground with a vague path to good views, then down to Sandy Loch and up spongy ground along Water Glen, improving towards the top of Ward Hill. WH has got a very nice summit with good views, but the lower ground is fairly manky.Gill22/02/2019
From good parking area SW of Round Hill. Cuilags first, then up Water Glen to here. Descended to source of Water Glen stream before veering off for near enough direct line back to the dam, whence up Round Hill.jonglew22/02/2019
With E. Passenger ferry from Stromness to Moaness. Along minor road to Sandy Lock then followed track towards Rackwick until just after it crossed Burn of Redglen. Then up and round to summit, steep at first but gradient eased. Never seen so many mountain hares before, they were everywhere. Great summit views over the Orkney Islands. Returnd via Howes of Quoyawa then very steep descent to minor road by path up to Dwarfie Stane. Worth short detour to visit this rock cut tomb. Back to minor road and along to Moaness calling in at Beneth'ill Cafe for a well deserved Orkney beer before last ferry back. A great day.Beeliner03/09/2018
After Cuilags. Then walked along the ridge and descended to the Dwarfie Stane.NormanW12/06/2018
With Bevsimon and co03/05/2017
From Sandy Loch, walk SW past loch before heading up; this makes the ascent less steep and stays away from the Bonxies. Soft ground but straighforward climb. Clear views over Orkney and south to the mainland. Scottish County Top 16 - over half way!callumorr24/07/2016
Up & down from near the Dwarfie Stone.Chris Peart27/06/2016
After the Knap of Trowieglen dropped down to the beach at Randwick. Took the Glen path and from the high-point direct up Cuilags past od airplane wreckage. Reversed route to then climb Ward Hill via Water Glen. Dropped steeply down Quoyawa avoiding the crags and a walk back to ferry jetty with a nice cuppa tea on the way at the cafenordicstar11/06/2016
Good circular walk from ferry. Took about 7 hours with some good stops. Enjoyed Rackwick bay.jenx11/06/2016
Climbed from Moaness. About 50m of steep ground (at about HY213016) was awkward in both directions, but especially in descent. Above about 350m I was in cloud, and so I took GPS waypoints at frequent intervals: this proved invaluable, as on descent I found that my compass was broken! Just one County Top in the whole of the British Isles to go ...David Purchase01/06/2016
MC. With CuilagsMartin6616/03/2016
Linksness-Round Hill-Ward Hill-Cuilags-Sui fea-Moor Fea-Rackwick (rats in bothy).campagvelocet16/06/2015
Cuilags first, then up easy slopes to summit.Campbell Singer02/04/2015
Came down S ridge of Cuilags & then walked NE up path to large cairn marking path junction – SE along path & then headed E. up western slopes to summit of Ward Hill – ESE across Howes of Quoyawa & then down S. ridge to road below fence corner at HY23637 00666 – Continued to summit of Knap of Trowieglen. (S)gerrybowes23/09/2014
Cloud down well below 200 metres but still a class hill.Alex C04/06/2014
Steep climb up in the mist after bagging the TuMP called Round Hill with Jim Bloomer and Tricky Speirs.Dugswell227/05/2014
With Ezra & Freya (dogs!) + Mat (husband): Freya all youthful glee; Ezra wise marking through steep descent.sara.oldshipinn01/10/2013
From road by Dwarfie Stone (10:35) climbed steeply up into mist. Stony plateau of Quoyawa, then up again to summit. Descended very steep flank to car park at 223034 and thence to Moaness Cafe (12:40). No views but good walk.dbb23/08/2013
A tough climb up Glen of Greor to the summit. Full ridge and Cuilags and back to the boat for Stromness.bolton02/08/2013
From near Rackwick via all the tops to the summit - descending via Haist to Moaness ferry.summitsup29/05/2012
Parked at HY22240 03397, to the dam and up the steep south east ridge to Cuilags. Dropped down to pt.116. Followed Burn of Redglen to south west top (with a sneaky view of the Old Man) and then main top of Ward hill. Remembered not to go directly back to start point.Martin R16/05/2012
Round of Cuilags and Ward Hill from the cafe. Bonxie attacks launched on the last descent.Eddie16/08/2011
Minibus from ferry to Rackwick, visited the Old Man (got a bit queasy just looking at it from the clifftop!!),then back down and across to climb steep SW slopes to gain stony summit ridge which was a delight. Superb views down to Moaness and N across the Orkneys.AndrewFinnimore27/04/2011
estimated date - we spent two weeks in Orkney in August 2010PaulineD14/08/2010
Revisit. Fine summit and view. Contemplated doing a circuit from the S, but settled for a quick bag from NNW - lovely steep route with some Fulmar dodging on the crags. A group of kids were having lots of fun in Sandy Loch by the sound of it.RHW03/06/2010
Long hot round of the North Hoy tops, from Stromness via ferry and minibus to Rackwick then back over Moor Fea and Cuilags past the Old Man.andy10/05/2009
Easter: violent N winds, frequent snow showers; even getting to Hoy was epic. After Cuilags, crossed valley and up Ward Hill. Lifted off feet twice by wind (not merely blown over). Cairn, shelter (hah!) on top.Aye Jimmy21/03/2008
Staying at Jamie's.Grinner16/10/2005
Went up with two friends,one as a guide - fab views and good weather helped.Lesley Jackson09/09/2005
Took the bus to Rackwick from the Stromness ferry. It was then straight up to the plateau but fierce winds and low cloud made for no views and an unpleasant ascent.garyhoney21/06/2005
Solo HFB07/08/2004
Ward Hill and Cuilags climbed in late afternoon/evening using the many lighthouses as navigation beacons.lordtonult15/12/2003
Date is first visit. Notes from later...see log on TrigpointingUK.com. RHW02/08/2002
From Cuilags. Gently down to path and over swamp and up on gentle slope with some stone slabs to top of moor. Many cairns erected on stony plateau to trig 4737 and higher pile of stones 20m away. 12.00.arranc06/06/2002
Solo.MickyRoss08/06/2001
Solo tripInvicta1402/10/1998