West Girt Hill

About West Girt Hill

Rising within the rolling Southern Uplands near Wanlockhead, this grassy, rounded summit offers a quintessential border hills experience. At 516 metres, it sits in a quiet corner of the Lowther range, providing a straightforward walk over pathless moorland with expansive, clear-day views across the Nith Valley and toward the Galloway Forest Park.

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Did You Know?

• •The name stems from the Scots word 'girt', meaning great or large. In the context of the Southern Uplands, this usually denotes a hill that appears more prominent or bulky than its immediate neighbours, such as the nearby East Girt Hill.
• •The hill sits on the edge of the historic Leadhills mining district; while the summit itself is undisturbed, the surrounding glens are dotted with the remains of 18th and 19th-century shafts and spoil heaps from the nearby Wanlockhead mines.
• •A typical approach follows the high ground from the Mennock Pass, a route that offers a more secluded experience than the busier, radar-topped summits of the main Lowther ridge to the north-east.
• •The summit offers a particularly clear view south-west across the Nith Valley towards the sprawling heights of the Galloway Forest Park and the distinctive granite peaks of the Awful Hand range.
• •Despite its 'great' name, the hill is perhaps most famous among local walkers for the impressive depth of the sphagnum moss in the col separating it from its eastern twin, which is perfectly designed for overtopping a gaiter.