Scotland
White Shank
622M
2039FT
About White Shank
Sitting within the high, rolling terrain of the Ettrick Hills, this 621-metre summit offers a quiet experience characteristic of the Southern Uplands. It is a broad, grassy shoulder typically reached via the ridge connecting Bodesbeck Law and Ettrick Pen, providing clear, expansive views across the deep trench of the Moffat Dale.
Key Statistics
Rank
85th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
26.7m
Nearest Town
Scottish Borders
Geology
The ground beneath you is the Selcoth Formation, made of compressed layers of sand and hardened mud. These solid rocks form the rugged landscape you are trekking across.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT169083
Latitude
55.3617°N
Longitude
3.3124°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Shank' is a descriptive Scots term frequently used in the Southern Uplands to denote a projecting leg or a narrow spur of a hill.
- •The 'White' prefix likely refers to the pale, bleached appearance of the mat-grass (Nardus stricta) that covers these slopes, which turns a distinctively light colour during the winter months.
- •The summit offers a clear perspective of the steep-sided Moffat Hills to the west, specifically the impressive bulk of White Coomb across the valley.
- •It marks a point on the historic boundary between the traditional counties of Dumfriesshire and Selkirkshire.
- •Despite the name, a walker is significantly more likely to return with boots a deep shade of peat-bog brown than any discernible white.