Capel Fell

About Capel Fell

Sitting high in the Ettrick Hills, this rounded Graham offers a wild sense of isolation. Most walkers approach from Selcoth to the west or follow the Southern Upland Way. Its grassy slopes lead to a broad summit plateau with clear, expansive views across the deep trench of Moffatdale to the Moffat Hills.

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Did You Know?

• •The name likely derives from the Gaelic 'capall', meaning horse, suggesting these high grassy slopes were historically used for grazing livestock or were a known landmark for travellers crossing the Southern Uplands.
• •It is frequently climbed as part of a high-level horseshoe circuit around the Selcoth Burn, usually paired with the neighbouring peaks of Croft Head and Wind Fell.
• •The summit offers a perfect vantage point to look directly across at the rugged eastern face of White Coomb and the impressive hanging valley that feeds the Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall.
• •While the Southern Upland Way passes very close to the summit, the long-distance trail actually skirts around the southern flank of the hill, meaning many cross-country walkers miss the top entirely unless they make a specific detour.
• •The direct ascent from Selcoth Fisheries is a stern test of the calves; the gradient is steep enough that the local sheep often look down on struggling walkers with what can only be described as pity.