Windlestraw Law

About Windlestraw Law

As the highest point in the rolling Moorfoot Hills, this broad, peat-heavy summit offers a quiet sense of isolation despite its proximity to Innerleithen. Expect expansive views across the Tweed Valley toward the Ettrick Forest hills and a terrain dominated by heather, hags, and the occasional challenging boggy stretch.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'Windlestraw' comes from the Scots word for a type of thin, dry, withered grass—often crested dog's-tail—that remains standing after summer grazing, perfectly describing the hill's windswept, high-pasture character.
• •While it is the highest peak in the Moorfoots, it holds the triple crown of Graham, Donald, and Marilyn status, making it a priority objective for hikers working through the lists of Scotland’s lower mountains.
• •From the summit trig point, the view south is particularly clear, looking directly over the town of Innerleithen toward the rounded silhouettes of Minch Moor and the Yarrow hills beyond.
• •Most walkers approach from the south via the steady ascent from Tweeddale, often combining the summit with nearby Whitehope Law to create a comprehensive traverse of the range's eastern plateau.
• •This is a hill that demands gaiters as a matter of religious principle; any attempt to reach the summit with dry boots usually ends in a character-building lesson on the surprising depth of a Moorfoot peat hag.