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.

• •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.