Dumbarton Rock

A prominent volcanic plug which forms a remarkable landmark on the north shore of the River Clyde, Dumbarton Rock rises steeply to 74m (242 feet) at the mouth of the River Leven, a half-mile (1 km) south of Dumbarton town centre. A series of fortifications have occupied an excellent defensive position on the rock since prehistoric times, culminating in Dumbarton Castle which was built in the 13th century.

Dumbarton Rock represents one of the most difficult rock-climbs in the world, graded E11. A short film, also called E11, featuring climber Dave Macleod's ascent of the rock premiered at the Mountain Film Festival in Edinburgh in 2006.

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry

©2013 The Editors of The Gazetteer for Scotland
Supported by: The Robertson Trust,  The Royal Scottish Geographical Society,
  School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh.