Scotland
Minch Moor
567M
1860FT
About Minch Moor
Crossing the historical border between Peeblesshire and Selkirkshire, this broad, heather-clad Marilyn is a highlight of the Southern Upland Way. The terrain is characteristic of the Manor Hills: rounded, expansive, and steeped in heritage. An ancient drove road crosses its high, exposed plateau, offering a sense of solitude and vast, rolling horizons.
Key Statistics
Rank
142nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
213m
Nearest Town
Walkerburn
Geology
Minch Moor is built on tough, muddy sandstone known as wacke. These durable rocks belong to the Gala Unit 7 formation.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT358330
Latitude
55.5869°N
Longitude
3.0191°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is thought to derive from the Gaelic or Old Scots for a mountain pass or 'middle' moor, reflecting its position on the ancient arterial route connecting the Tweed and Yarrow valleys.
- •Near the summit lies the Cheese Well, a natural spring where travellers have for centuries left small offerings of cheese to appease the 'fairies of the well' and ensure a safe crossing of the moor.
- •Following his decisive defeat at the Battle of Philiphaugh in 1645, the Marquess of Montrose used the high-level Minch Moor road as his primary escape route from the Borders.
- •The summit offers a clear and earned perspective of the triple-peaked Eildon Hills to the east, while the deep trench of the Yarrow Valley is visible cutting through the southern uplands.
- •Because the Southern Upland Way passes directly over the top, the summit is one of the few places where you might find a waymarked signpost and a long-distance hiker before you actually find the summit cairn.