Rhinns of Kells

The Rhinns of Kells are a range of hills in the Galloway Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The most easterly of three parallel ridges, they are neighboured to the west by the Range of the Awful Hand and the Dungeon Hills. The eastern portion of the Minnigaff Hills range lies immediately southwest of the range. In total, these four ranges are part of the Galloway Forest Park. The ridge is located entirely within Dumfries and Galloway, with the base of the western flanks being a northwestern boundary of the county.

Although distant, the ridge is paralleled to the east by the A713 road. This road provides access to the majority of the starting points for walking the ridge. Most commonly, these are Garryhorn Farm (the turnoff a few hundred metres north of Carsphairn) and Forrest Estate (accessed much further south a few kilometres north of St. John's Town of Dalry). Unclassified roads, one of which follows the Southern Upland Way, and two others near Clatteringshaws Loch can be utilised, but are much less common due to the difficult terrain when ascending or descending from the south.^[1] Due to the linear nature of the ridge, a full traverse will normally require two modes of transport positioned at either end if to be walked in a day. Shorter, circular rounds from Forrest Lodge are, as a result, more popular.^[2] A bus service by Houston's Minicoaches runs from Dalmellington to Castle Douglas via Carsphairn and St. John's Town of Dalry multiple times a day.^[3]