Scotland
Nowtrig Head
608M
1994FT
About Nowtrig Head
Rising near the head of the Ettrick Valley, this rounded Southern Upland summit offers a quiet, pathless experience. Situated on the high ridge between Croft Head and Loch Fell, the terrain is defined by expansive grass and peat hags. It provides a wild perspective of the surrounding deep cleughs and the nearby Moffat Hills.
Key Statistics
Rank
96th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
31m
Nearest Town
Potburn
Geology
You are hiking across the Selcoth Formation, a foundation of ancient sandstones and mudstones that have been naturally compressed and hardened into solid rock.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT175116
Latitude
55.3922°N
Longitude
3.3029°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Nowtrig' is rooted in local Scots dialect, where 'nowt' refers to cattle and 'rig' to a ridge, indicating its history as high-altitude grazing land.
- •The summit marks a point on the regional boundary between Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders, following the watershed of the Ettrick Hills.
- •Looking north, the summit offers a direct view of the deep 'cleughs' or steep-sided valleys that characterise the Moffat Hills, including the high massifs of White Coomb and Hart Fell.
- •While the name suggests cattle once thrived on this ridge, the modern walker navigating the saturated peat hags towards Loch Fell might conclude the terrain is better suited to animals with significantly more legs and less concern for dry socks.