Range of the Awful Hand

The most westerly of three parallel ridges, the range is neighboured to the east by the Dungeon Hills and the Rhinns of Kells.

The terrain is a mix of both ranges to the east in that the higher, flatter ground is on short grass but the slopes and cols are craggy and occasionally boggy.

Ignoring all satellite ridges, from north to south the main hills are: The range forms part of the Silver Flowe-Merrick Kells Biosphere Reserve, which incorporates a considerable portion of both ranges to the west and east, and is a Natura 2000 site.

[11] The area is very popular with invertebrates and swarms of Odonata, Syrphidae and Lepidoptera during summer are common.

[12] The northern hills are more obscure; 'Caerloch Dhu' may derive from the Welsh caer lloch and Scottish Gaelic dhubh (black fort of refuge)[13] and 'Shalloch on Minnoch' (referring to the Water of Minnoch to the west), where 'shalloch' derives from Scottish Gaelic sealghe (hunting) and 'minnoch' derives from meadhonach (middle), ultimately meaning 'hunting hill of the middle burn'.