West Knowe

Rising above the remote headwaters of the Ettrick Water, this rounded Southern Upland summit offers a quiet alternative to the popular nearby peaks. Its grassy, often boggy slopes are characteristic of the border country, rewarding those who navigate its pathless terrain with expansive views across the rolling, treeless Ettrick Forest.

• •The name is rooted in the Scots word 'knowe', referring to a rounded hillock or knoll, which perfectly describes the soft, domed profile typical of the Ettrick range.
• •It is most frequently climbed as part of a high-level traverse starting from the remote Over Phawhope bothy, usually paired with the neighboring Ettrick Pen.
• •The summit provides a clear sightline south-east down the long trough of the Ettrick Water, while the higher, craggier Moffat Hills, including White Coomb, are visible to the north-west.
• •The hill sits on the watershed of the Southern Uplands, where rainfall on the eastern slopes eventually reaches the North Sea via the River Tweed, while water to the west drains toward the Solway Firth.
• •The terrain provides an excellent masterclass in the local peat hags, which have a legendary ability to test the structural integrity of even the most expensive hillwalking boots.