Dan's Hags

Tucked away in the Scottish Borders, this moorland summit offers a quintessential Southern Uplands experience. Characterised by the rough peat hags that give the hill its name, the broad, heathery top provides a sense of remote isolation. The ascent yields clear views across the Hermitage valley towards the distant Cheviot fells.

• •The name is derived from the Scots term 'hags', referring to the broken, eroded channels in the peat bog that cover the plateau. 'Dan' likely refers to a local farmer or shepherd whose specific identity has faded into local lore.
• •This area of Roxburgh was part of the historic 'Debatable Lands,' a lawless frontier region between Scotland and England that was famously difficult to govern during the era of the Border Reivers.
• •The summit offers a clear perspective on the neighbouring Arnton Fell to the south and the sprawling moorlands that define the border between Roxburghshire and Cumbria.
• •Despite the name's suggestion of a mythological crone, the only hags you are likely to encounter here are the muddy, knee-deep peat variety, which provide a stern test for even the best waterproof gaiters.