Scotland
Phawhope Kips
590M
1936FT
About Phawhope Kips
Rising steeply above the head of the Ettrick Valley, these grassy summits offer a quiet, airy ridge walk. The terrain is characteristic of the Southern Uplands: soft underfoot but sharply defined. From the top, you gain a clear perspective into the deep cleughs and across to the craggy face of Croft Head.
Key Statistics
Rank
111th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Ettrick Hills
Prominence
?
28
Nearest Town
Potburn
Geology
You’re trekking across the Kirkhope and Glendearg Formations. These slopes are made of sandstone and mudstone that have been compressed and hardened by intense pressure.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT210088
Latitude
55.3668°N
Longitude
3.2479°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is a linguistic blend: 'Phaw' likely stems from the Old English 'faw' for pale or variegated, while 'hope' refers to a secluded valley and 'Kips' is a Scots term for a sharp, pointed hill.
- •The summit is often visited as part of a high-level horseshoe walk that circles the Phawhope Burn, connecting the dome of Ettrick Pen with the more rugged terrain of Croft Head.
- •While the Southern Upland Way skirts the lower northern slopes near the remote cottage at Over Phawhope, the Kips themselves remain a sanctuary for those seeking silence away from the waymarked trails.
- •Calling these summits 'Kips' is an exercise in Southern Upland relativity; they are only considered sharp peaks when compared to the vast, rounded 'whales' backs' that dominate the surrounding skyline.