White Coomb

The Moffat Hills

True Isolation in this vast area of unspoilt upland countryside.
This fine big round open summit stands high within the area known as the Moffat Hills in the Scottish Borders of Dumfries and Galloway. This area is full of natural beauty from the rolling hills to its Rivers, Burns, Waterfalls, Lakes and Loch's.

The Moffat Hills have two main Corbett summits over 800metres as follows.

White Coomb:- at 821metres
Hart Fell :- at 808metres
There are other tops over 800metres but these are stated as Donalds

As can be seen White Coomb is the highest of the two and there are many different routes from surrounding ridges that can be combined into a great day out. I did this on the 17th February 2007 and took my route via the undulated ridge of Saddle Yoke and returned via the fine ridge of the Carrifran Gans.

White Coomb suffers alot of the same problems that Broad Law and Merrick do in that it does not get enough attention because to many people who like the hills and mountains further north pass this area off to the Highlands not knowing what they are missing here.
I think with this web page the pictures i have added to it say alot and show alot about this area...!

The various routes up to White Coomb are stunning in every way. Most routes up take you via exciting ridges with cliffs and waterfalls.

Getting There

Getting to the area could not be easier.

From the West.
By Motorway the main Carlisle / Glasgow A74(M) come off at Junction-15 onto the A701 for the town of Moffat.
Moffat is a beutiful little traditional Scottish border town with lots of character. It has many a fine hotels and some lovely little B&B's.
The town has all the sort of shops you would need before a day out on the hills.
When you are done in Moffat take a road signposted A708 to Selkirk and St Mary's Loch. Well you just follow this road through to any place you wish to start near the Saddle Yoke, Carrifran or even the Grey Mare's Tail Waterfall. If you park at the Grey Mare's Tail car park there is a fee for using the car park as this is a National Trust for Scotland site.
From the East.
This area is easily reached from Newcastle via the A1 then the A696/A68 to the Border County. From here travel Hawick then From Hawick take the A7 to Selkirk then the opposite to above in that you take the A708 Signposted Moffat and St Mary's Loch.
By Train the nearest rail station to Moffat is Lockerbie on the main Carlisle to Glasgow line.

Red Tape

The Scottish FREE TO ROME...! Rules apply here so you can go anywhere at your will as long as you do not damage the farmers new fences that have just been put up to controll the wild mountain goats.
Other than that ENJOY...!

Camping and Accomodation

There are camping sites available around the towns of Moffat and Selkirk.
Also it is not a problem with camping in some areas along side the lakes of St Mary's Loch and Loch Of The Lowe's.
Caravan sites can best be found via the internet as i am never one for caravaning.
For hotels and B&B's Moffat has it all as does Selkirk, Peebles, Hawick also Galashiels and alot of the other fine border county towns.

Other Ridges and Summits in this Area.

This area has some fine interconnecting ridges and other large vast open summits and undulating hills that there is so many routes to do.
My favourite is via Saddle Yoke a great ridge up from Moffat Dale out onto the vast flats of boggy land these hills have. From Saddle Yoke the two best options are either Hart Fell to the West or across the Rotten Bottom Peet Bogs to Firthhoe and White Coombe. Other great routes onto White Coomb are via the Carrifran Gans ridge or Lochcraig Head and the Grey Mares Tail waterfall. Pictures say a 1000-Words...!

Any of you who decide to do these fine hills please enjoy them like i did.

Navigation and Safety

These hills have vast areas of flat boggy marsh land on the land between the summits. Also the weather as with all areas can change so quickly. For mapping your best maps from Ordnance Survey are Landranger Sheet 79 for White Coomb and sheet 78 for Moffat Dale.
For a detailed 1:25.000 scale OS-Map then Explorer map 330 Moffat and St Mary's Loch is the best one as it covers all these fine hills on just one map.
For an up to date uk weather forecast click here via the BBC-Weather
Along with mapping and weather planning use of a compass and a GPS when its misty and foggy are a great advantage.

Images

View White Coomb Image Gallery - 11 Images