Scotland
Ballaman Hill
542M
1778FT
About Ballaman Hill
Tucked away in the Moffat Hills, this grassy dome offers a quieter alternative to the busier neighbouring peaks. The ascent over tussocky ground is rewarded with a perspective across the deep trench of the River Annan towards the massive bulk of Hart Fell and the distant Solway Firth.
Key Statistics
Rank
211th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Moffat Hills
Prominence
?
28
Nearest Town
Scottish Borders
Geology
You are walking on the Queensberry Formation, a mix of compressed sand, mud, and smooth pebbles. These sedimentary layers form the solid foundation of Ballaman Hill.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT093161
Latitude
55.4304°N
Longitude
3.4348°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Gaelic 'baile', meaning a stead or settlement, reflecting the ancient farming patterns in the Annandale valleys where high-altitude grazing was essential to the local economy.
- •The hill sits above the northern rim of the Devil’s Beef Tub, a vast, 500-foot deep natural bowl used by the Border Reivers to hide stolen cattle.
- •It marks a point on the drainage divide of Scotland; water falling on these slopes can end up in either the Solway Firth via the River Annan or the North Sea via the River Tweed.
- •The summit provides an excellent vantage point to view the Talla Linns area to the north and the sprawling wind turbines of the Clyde Wind Farm on the western horizon.
- •The summit is so subtle that in thick mist, the only reliable indicator of the top is the sudden, slightly suspicious realisation that you are no longer walking uphill.