Moffat Hills

This is the watershed between the Annan and Tweed systems and it lies in the administrative region called Dumfries and Galloway.

The regional boundary runs erratically eastward from Annanhead, then goes north around Loch Skeen (or Skene) before heading south east to Birkhill Cottage in Moffatdale where the pioneering geologist Charles Lapworth stayed from 1872 to 1877.

[4] The north facing side of the Moffat Hills is bounded by a minor road (no road number on the Ordnance Survey map) which runs from Tweedsmuir village to St Mary's Loch, passing along the banks of the Talla Reservoir and the Megget Reservoir and rising to 450 metres by the Megget Stone.

Where these two lochs almost join there is a monument to James Hogg[11] the Ettrick Shepherd, visit Tibbie Shiels Inn[12] and then follow the Moffat Water down Moffatdale past the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall.

There is a project in progress to restore a wild woodland environment, as it would have been six thousand years ago, to the treeless Carrifran Glen.

Once the Yarrow and the Ettrick Waters join they in turn lose their identity when they meet the River Tweed between Selkirk and Galashiels.

The Annandale Way[16] is a new 55 mile (85 km) long-distance walking route which follows the valley of the river Annan from its source to the sea.

In the Southern Uplands of Scotland there are plenty of wild places in which to exercise this right, of which The Moffat Hills range is amongst the best.

[20] The Blackhope Burn joins Moffat Water close to a farm called Capplegill (OS.

Just to the north east of Capplegill (roughly 150 metres) there is room for a car or two to park by Blackshope house.

From there descend to the water course in Whirly Gill before climbing to the top of Saddle Craigs at the head of the Blackhope Glen and just below Hartfell Rig (739 metres).

Around the waterfalls offers the best views and also some quite interesting terrain to scramble over - not only around the waterfalls themselves but also while crossing the face of the steep lower slopes of Firthhope Rig on the way up to Games Castle (a natural feature resembling a castle) and Rotten Bottom (the sump area for all the peat hags round about).

There is a visitor centre by the car park where it is possible to "watch live" wild birds nesting - as viewed from a remote camera on the hillside.

Loch Skeen has also been used successfully[22] to try to preserve the endangered species of fish called the vendace[23] which has a history in Britain going back to glacial times.

The classic route here is to park at Annanhead above the Devil's Beef Tub (room for several vehicles there) and walk up over Annanhead Hill, Great Hill and Chalk Rig Edge to Whitehope Heights, a route which goes round the top of the Beef Tub.

The area in the valley around Ericstane is rich in ancient remains (settlements and burnt mounds) and before you get back to where the car is parked you will pass a monument[26] above the Beef Tub to John Hunter of Tweedsmuir, a covenanter who was shot in 1685 while trying to escape from dragoons by climbing the side of the Beef Tub.

NT075103) proceed northwards on the A701 heading out of Moffat town centre till you arrive at a mini roundabout by the school.

They aim to return lost wildlife and habitats to Corehead and to conserve the unique character of the Devil's Beef Tub.

From the burn climb to Swatte Fell, go on to Hartfell and come down over Arthur's Seat making for the gully above the spa.

NT152203) is by a cattle grid at the highest point between the Talla and Megget reservoirs on the minor road which runs from Tweedsmuir on the A701 to Cappercleuch by shore of St Mary's Loch.

This walk can be lengthened slightly by taking in Dead For Cauld which offers fine views over the Megget reservoir.

Looking SSW over Loch Skeen to Mid Craig (on the far side of the loch) and White Coomb beyond, from ascent of Lochcraig Head in winter conditions - the three arms of the letter "E" described below in routes from Loch Skeen.
Scree run above Hartfell Spa.
St Mary's Loch and Loch of the Lowes from above Capper Law. The minor road which runs from Tweedsmuir to St Mary's Loch past Talla and Megget reservoirs can be seen coming down to meet the A708 by the loch side in the middle of the picture. This is at Cappercleuch . The two lochs are separated by the narrow strip of land that can be seen in the middle distance and Tibbie Shiels Inn is on that strip of land. The southern Upland Way passes along the south side (far away side in this picture) of St Mary's Loch
Covenanter Monument to John Hunter above the Devil's Beef Tub --- Inscription on the monument reads "On the hillside opposite John Hunter Covenanter was shot by Douglas's Dragoons 1685 his grave is in Tweedsmuir Kirkyard"
Moffat hills from Hartfell ----- 1 White Coomb -- 2 Carrifran Gans -- 3 Saddle Yoke -- 4 Ettrick Pen (Ettrick hills) -- 5 Glen of the Blackhope Burn -- 6 Hartfell
From the top of Saddle Yoke looking WNW across the face of Under Saddle Yoke and over Blackhope Glen to Falcon Craig (in the middle of the picture) with Hartfell near the right edge.
Moffat hills from Bodesbeck Ridge ----- 1 Black Craig -- 2 Swatte Fell -- 3 Hartfell -- 4 Saddle Yoke -- 5 Raven Craig -- 6 Firthhope Rig -- 7 Carrifran Gans -- 8 White Coomb -- 9 Carrifran Glen -- 10 Moffatdale
Grey Mare's Tail in the Moffat Hills from the Bodesbeck Ridge in the Ettrick hills.
Detail from above photograph of Grey Mare's Tail, showing Loch Skeen with outflow into the Tail Burn which feeds the Grey Mare's Tail Moffat Hills.
From Hartfell looking west to the great bowl among the hills that is the Devil's Beef Tub (in sunlight) with Annanhead to the right of the picture above the Beef Tub. The M74 and main west coast rail line corridor lies in the valley beyond that and the Lowther hills are in the distance. The lush green valley of the river Annan (Annandale) is in the left foreground and the A701 climbs up from left to right above this valley from Moffat town to Annanhead, Tweedsmuir and, eventually, Edinburgh.
Entrance to Hartfell Spa
Sign at Hartfell Spa
Megget Stone at the highest point on the minor road between Talla reservoir and Megget reservoir