![The more southwesterly Ettrick Hills from Ettrick Pen. [L-R]: Loch Fell, Wind Fell, Hopetoun Craig, West Knowe and Croft Head. Ettrick1.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Ettrick1.jpg/600px-Ettrick1.jpg)
The Ettrick Hills are a range of hills, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. They are neighboured to the northwest by the Moffat Hills and are located mainly within the Scottish Borders, however the Dumfries and Galloway border covers the south and southwesterly flanks.
Not strictly defined, the hills form a lightly curving southwest–northeast shape and cover a considerable area. The Ettrick valley to the east separates them from the Craik Forest and the western border follows the A708 road. The large area west of Hawick, southwest of Selkirk and south of Yarrow Water could also be said to be part of the range as well as part of the historic Ettrick Forest. [1] The hills are relatively low-lying for the counties in which they lie, with the highest summit, Ettrick Pen, being 692m, however, unlike other nearby ranges, could be said to follow a definitive direction. The highest hills are on the western extremity of the area.
In a roughly southwest–northeast direction, the hills in the range over 2000 ft are:
| Summit | Height (m) | Listing [2] |
|---|---|---|
| Croft Head | 637 | Ma,Hu,Tu,Sim, G, D,DN,Y [3] |
| West Knowe | 672 | Tu,Sim,DT,GT,DN [4] |
| Loch Fell | 688 | Hu,Tu,Sim, D,GT,DN,Y [5] |
| Wind Fell | 665 | Tu,Sim, D,sHu,GT,DN [6] |
| Capel Fell | 678 | Ma,Hu,Tu,Sim, G, D,DN,Y [7] |
| Hopetoun Craig | 632 | Tu,Sim,DT,GT,DN [8] |
| Smidhope Hill | 644 | Tu,Sim,DT,GT,DN [9] |
| Ettrick Pen | 692 | Ma,Hu,Tu,Sim, G, D,DN,Y [10] |
| Bodesbeck Law | 664.2 | Hu,Tu,Sim, D,GT,DN,Y [11] |
| Mid Rig | 615.8 | Tu,Sim,DT,GT,DN [12] |
| Bell Craig | 623 | Tu,Sim, D,GT,DN [13] |
| Andrewhinney Hill | 677.3 | Ma,Hu,Tu,Sim, G, D,DN,Y [14] |
| Trowgrain Middle | 628 | DT,sSim [15] |
| Herman Law | 614.4 | Tu,Sim, D,GT,DN [16] |
The area is renowned for its history, being part of the enormous Ettrick Forest, being the birthplace and frequent literary subject of the 'Ettrick Shepherd', James Hogg as well as the birthplace and workplace of Tibbie Shiel, among other things.
The area has a predominantly early Scots influence. 'Ettrick' is thought by W. F. H. Nicolaisen to be Proto-Indo-European, in reference to the Ettrick Water from where the hills and settlements take their name. [17] Ettrick Pen was known to have different names at the same time, known as The Penn of Ettrick and Hill of Penn of Esdaile Moore from Tweedsdale and Eskdale respectively. [18]
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Midlothian, South Lanarkshire, West Lothian and, to the south-west, south and east, the English counties of Cumbria and Northumberland. The administrative centre of the area is Newtown St Boswells.
The Pennines, also known as the Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills, are a more-or-less continuous range of hills and mountains running between three regions of Northern England: North West England on the west, and North East England and Yorkshire and the Humber on the east. Commonly described as the "backbone of England", the range stretches northwards from the Peak District at the southern end, through the South Pennines, the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines to the Tyne Gap, which separates the range from the Cheviot Hills across the Anglo-Scottish border. South of the Aire Gap is a western spur into east Lancashire, comprising the Rossendale Fells, West Pennine Moors and the Bowland Fells in North Lancashire. The Howgill Fells and Orton Fells in Cumbria are sometimes considered to be Pennine spurs to the west of the range. The Pennines are an important water catchment area with numerous reservoirs in the head streams of the river valleys.
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south. It derives its name from its county town, the Royal burgh of Selkirk.
The Southern Uplands are the southernmost and least populous of mainland Scotland's three major geographic areas. The term is used both to describe the geographical region and to collectively denote the various ranges of hills and mountains within this region. An overwhelmingly rural and agricultural region, the Southern Uplands are partly forested and contain many areas of open moorland - the hill names in the area are congruent with these characteristics.
Scotland is the most mountainous country in the United Kingdom, featuring 282 peaks exceeding 3,000 feet (914 m), 10 of those are over 4,000 feet (1,219 m), with the highest and most notable being Ben Nevis 4,413 feet (1,345 m) above sea level. Its mountain ranges can be divided, in a roughly north to south direction, into: the Scottish Highlands, the Central Belt and the Southern Uplands, the latter two primarily belonging to the Scottish Lowlands. The highlands contains the country's main mountain ranges, but many hills and mountains are to be found south of these as well. The highlands includes Britain's loftiest peaks, the Munros, the highest being Ben Nevis at 1,344.53 m. The below lists are not exhaustive; there are countless subranges throughout the country.
The Range of the Awful Hand is a range of hills in the Galloway Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The most westerly of three parallel ridges, the range is neighboured to the east by the Dungeon Hills and the Rhinns of Kells. The Minnigaff Hills also lie southeast. In total, these four ranges are part of the Galloway Forest Park. The ridge is split between South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.
The Moffat Hills are a range of hills in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. They form a roughly triangular shape with a west facing side, a north facing side, and a south-east facing side. It is 17 kilometres from east to west across this triangle and some 16 kilometres north to south. The highest point is White Coomb at 821 m (2694 ft). The town of Moffat lies just south of the Moffat hills and along with Tweedsmuir, at the northern extremity, is the only centre of population around these hills. In some older maps, the northern part of the Moffat Hills is called the Tweedsmuir Hills, but can also be known by the title Manor Hills.
Under Saddle Yoke is a hill in the Moffat Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. Despite its name, it is 10m higher than its neighbouring top, Saddle Yoke. Located in a dramatic position on a small, grassy ridge in between two deep glens, Blackhope and Carrifran, it awards excellent views into the rest of the Moffat Hills and the Ettrick Hills opposite. Although incomparable to the Scottish Highlands and not particularly precipitous, the ridge between and atop the Yokes is the narrowest summit ridge in the Southern Uplands. The electric fence that comes out of Blackshope and crosses the ridge to the north of Saddle Yoke and then continues down into Carrifran hasn't worked in 40 years. A popular round known as the Hart Fell Horseshoe begins near Blackshope and normally ascends Nether Coomb Craig first, then passing over Swatte Fell, Hart Fell and looping round Hartfell Rig to the Saddle Yokes before the descent.
Ettrick Pen is a hill in the Ettrick Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. A remote peak, It lies southwest of the village of Ettrick, on the border of the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. The highest of the Ettrick Hills, it is crossed by the Southern Upland Way and is a prominent landmark from many directions. Its summit is topped by an ancient cairn.
Dollar Law is a hill in the Manor Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The third highest in the range and the Scottish Borders and fifth highest in southern Scotland, it is frequently climbed with its neighbours Broad Law and Cramalt Craig to the southwest from their direction or as a detour from the hills to the northwest near Drumelzier. Thief's Road, a historic heritage path, passes just south of the summit.
Milldown is a hill in the Rhinns of Kells, a sub-range of the Galloway Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It is located immediately north of Meikle Millyea - between these two hills lie the Lochans of Auchniebut, a series of small water bodies at an approximate elevation of 650m - possibly the highest permanent water bodies in the Southern Uplands. As well as this, the hill is also flanked on its SW side by forest plantation - possibly the highest planted commercial forestry in the Southern Uplands. Like most of its neighbours, it is most easily climbed from the east at Forrest Lodge.
Wind Fell is a hill in the Ettrick Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The Dumfries and Galloway-Scottish Borders border lies across the hill. Close to the Southern Upland Way, routes of ascent frequently incorporate its track and it is almost always climbed along with the neighbouring hills.
Bodesbeck Law is a hill in the Ettrick Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It is the primary west-south-western terminus of the ridge that runs parallel to the A708 road along the Dumfries and Galloway-Scottish Borders border, occasionally titled the "Bodesbeck Ridge".
Whitehope Heights is a hill in the Moffat Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The lowest Donald hill in the range, it is separated from Hart Fell by a steep grassy cleuch known as The Gyle. Like its neighbour, the Dumfries and Galloway-Scottish Borders border runs along its summit. The southern slopes of the hill are part of the Corehead hill farm, an area owned by the Borders Forest Trust for the purposes of habitat regeneration; as a result, a large deer fence lines the boundary. East of the Devil's Beef Tub and Annandale Way, it is most frequently climbed from this direction, but ascents from Hart Fell are also common.
Bell Craig is a hill in the Ettrick Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It is part of a ridge that runs parallel to the A708 road on its southern side, with White Coomb in the Moffat Hills directly opposite. The northern slopes are designated as part of the 'Moffat Hills' SSSI and SAC - the summit marks a corner of the area.
Herman Law is a hill in the Ettrick Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It is the terminal northeast Donald of a ridge that runs parallel to the A708 road on its southern side, also being the last to share the Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders border. It is the least prominent Donald, just qualifying for the necessary 30m of prominence. Usually climbed with the neighbouring hills of the ridge, the most common start point is Birkhill Farm to the west.
The Dungeon Hills are a range of hills in the Galloway Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The central of three parallel ridges, they are neighboured by the Range of the Awful Hand to the west and the Rhinns of Kells to the east. The range is also perpendicular to the Minnigaff Hills range, immediately south. In total, these four ranges are part of the Galloway Forest Park.
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.
The Minnigaff Hills are a range of hills in the Galloway Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. A southerly range, they are perpendicular to the Range of the Awful Hand, Dungeon Hills and Rhinns of Kells to the north. In total, these four ranges are part of the Galloway Forest Park.
The Culter Hills, Coulter Fells or variations thereof, are a range of hills, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. They are neighboured to the east by the Manor Hills and are split roughly in half by the border between South Lanarkshire and the Scottish Borders.