Talla Cleuch Head

Rising above the Talla Reservoir in the remote Manor Hills, this high Donald offers a classic Southern Uplands experience. Steep, grassy slopes lead to a rounded summit plateau, often reached via a deer fence from the Megget Stane. It rewards walkers with expansive, lonely views across the rolling Tweedsmuir hills.

• •The name combines the Cumbric 'tal', meaning a brow or headland, with the Scots 'cleuch', a term for a steep-sided ravine. It aptly describes the hill's position overlooking the deep, craggy glens that feed the Talla Reservoir.
• •The most popular ascent begins at the Megget Stane, an ancient boundary stone sitting at the 450-metre high point of the pass between the Talla and Megget valleys.
• •From the summit, walkers gain an excellent perspective of Broad Law to the west; at 840m, it is the highest point in the Southern Uplands and is easily identified by its large radio masts.
• •Navigation on the broad, often featureless summit plateau is made significantly easier by a sturdy deer fence that runs from the Megget Stane directly over the top of the hill.
• •While the name 'head' might imply a sharp peak, the summit is actually a vast expanse of moorland where the most challenging terrain is often the labyrinth of deep peat hags.