Brown Dod

Hill, Mountain in Peeblesshire

Scotland

Brown Dod

View from Ladyurd Hill Ladyurd Hill belongs to an obscure category of hills called Donald Deweys. The Deweys were originally drawn up by a Mr Dewey for England and Wales only, then subsequently adopted in Scotland by various hill-list compilers in the early 2000s. The Donald Deweys are Lowland hills lower than Donalds (which are Lowland hills starting at 610 metres, or 2000 feet, and follow no other real criteria other than being deemed important enough to be on his list by Percy Donald back in 1935) but at least 500 metres high, with a minimum prominence of 30 metres. There are 247 in total - I have yet to hear of anybody having done a &#039;round&#039; of them.
Where the actual summit is, is a matter of some debate. The OS map at the 1:25k scale puts it at the Southern end of the fairly long summit plateau, but confuse matters by showing it as being towards the Northern edge of the plateau on their 1:50k scale map. Near to the Southern &#039;summit&#039; are two shallow depressions; an 1850s OS map shows these as being at the site of an old whinstone quarry.
Whether the hill takes its name from the old farm below, or vice-versa is unclear. As is the meaning of &#039;urd&#039;, which also appears in other nearby placenames: Netherurd, Kirkurd and Lochurd. Wikipedia references an 1840s book which suggests it might mean quarter, which presumably would be as in &#039;living quarters&#039;, but other than that there is nothing to go on. — View from Ladyurd Hill Credit: Ian Dodds

Brown Dod is a prominent hill located in the Peeblesshire region of Scotland. Situated approximately 5 miles southwest of the town of Peebles, it forms part of the stunning landscape of the Scottish Borders. Standing at an elevation of 1,301 feet (396 meters), Brown Dod is considered a notable hill in the area.

The summit of Brown Dod offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, including the rolling hills, verdant valleys, and meandering rivers of Peeblesshire. On a clear day, visitors can see as far as the Pentland Hills to the north and the Moffat Hills to the south.

The hill is easily accessible by foot, with several well-maintained paths and trails leading to the summit. It is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, including hikers, walkers, and nature lovers. The diverse flora and fauna found in the area make it an ideal spot for wildlife observation and bird watching.

Brown Dod is also steeped in history and folklore, with several ancient sites and ruins scattered across its slopes. The hill has been inhabited and utilized by humans for centuries, and remnants of old settlements, stone walls, and burial mounds can still be found in the vicinity.

Overall, Brown Dod offers visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the natural beauty and rich heritage of Peeblesshire. Whether it's enjoying the stunning views, exploring the trails, or delving into the historical significance, a trip to this remarkable hill is sure to leave a lasting impression.

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Brown Dod Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 55.657301/-3.3774279 or Grid Reference NT1341. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

View from Ladyurd Hill

Ladyurd Hill belongs to an obscure category of hills called Donald Deweys. The Deweys were originally drawn up by a Mr Dewey for England and Wales only, then subsequently adopted in Scotland by various hill-list compilers in the early 2000s. The Donald Deweys are Lowland hills lower than Donalds (which are Lowland hills starting at 610 metres, or 2000 feet, and follow no other real criteria other than being deemed important enough to be on his list by Percy Donald back in 1935) but at least 500 metres high, with a minimum prominence of 30 metres. There are 247 in total - I have yet to hear of anybody having done a 'round' of them. Where the actual summit is, is a matter of some debate. The OS map at the 1:25k scale puts it at the Southern end of the fairly long summit plateau, but confuse matters by showing it as being towards the Northern edge of the plateau on their 1:50k scale map. Near to the Southern 'summit' are two shallow depressions; an 1850s OS map shows these as being at the site of an old whinstone quarry. Whether the hill takes its name from the old farm below, or vice-versa is unclear. As is the meaning of 'urd', which also appears in other nearby placenames: Netherurd, Kirkurd and Lochurd. Wikipedia references an 1840s book which suggests it might mean quarter, which presumably would be as in 'living quarters', but other than that there is nothing to go on.

Ian Dodds

View from Brown Dod

A quirk of the classification of Britain's lesser hills - fun for those who, like me, like these kind of things, but bewildering for most - is that there is a category of hills referred to as Dodds, which actually get their name due to a fairly boring acronym, and refers to British hills with a height of 500-599 metres with a 30 metre drop, and has absolutely nothing to to do with the words 'Dod' or 'Dodd' which occasionally appear in hill names. Since my name is Ian Dodds I should probably step up my research into these things. It is generally accepted that'Dodd' and 'Dod' refer to smallish round hills. Thankfully the internet has become slightly more forgiving about my surname etymology over the last few years. It used to be commonplace to find my family name described online as having derived from the hill name to mean 'small round man', or simply a 'stupid fellow'! All family tree records on the male side lead to and stay in and around Durham, which is reported as being historically the place where most variations of the Dodds surname came from. I have not done much walking round there, so am not sure how many Dodd/Dod hill-names there are in the Durham area; I just know them from Southern Scotland and the Lake District. Irrespective of this, I think it is fair to say that my surname is based on ancestors having lived close to hilly areas, and has nothing whatsoever with us being dim-witted people!

Ian Dodds

South ridge of Green Law

A fence runs along the ridge, once it was electric, but now is a plain one.

Richard Webb

Summit, Pyked Stane Hill

A somewhat battered triangulation pillar at the highest point of the Broughton Heights. There is a suggestion that a lot of triangulation pillars in the Lanark area were built with inferior concrete and many of them are badly damaged or worse. Perhaps they used similar materials to the roads?

Richard Webb