Scotland
Whitehope Heights
637M
2090FT
About Whitehope Heights
Tucked away in the Moffat Hills, this Donald marks the border between Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders. A steep grassy cleuch known as The Gyle separates it from its loftier neighbour, Hart Fell. Expect typical Southern Upland grass and prominent deer fences from the Corehead farm forest regeneration project.
Key Statistics
Rank
71st Highest in Region
Parent Range
Southern Uplands
Prominence
?
109m
Nearest Town
Moffat
Geology
The ground beneath you is the Queensberry Formation, a mix of ancient sand, silt, and mud that has hardened into solid rock and stony layers.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NT095139
Latitude
55.4107°N
Longitude
3.4298°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Whitehope likely derives from the Old English 'hwit' (white) and 'hop' (a small enclosed valley), referring to the pale, bleached grasses found in the high hollows below the ridge.
- •The summit is part of the Corehead estate, which was purchased by the Borders Forest Trust in 2009 to restore native woodland and heathland habitats across the Southern Uplands.
- •While frequently climbed as an extension of a Hart Fell circuit, the hill offers a unique vantage point over the Devil's Beef Tub, the enormous natural hollow where the Johnstone clan once hid stolen cattle.
- •At 637 metres, it holds the modest title of the lowest peak on the Donalds list, making it the shortest of the Scottish Lowland hills over 2,000 feet.
- •Looking east from the summit, the horizon is dominated by the massive, rounded profiles of Broad Law and White Coomb, the two highest points in the range.
- •The most notable summit feature is the extensive deer fence, which requires more tactical planning to cross than the actual physical ascent.