📌 Culter Hills, South Lanarkshire
★★★
Culter Fell is the highest of the Culter Hills: a sprawling mass of grassy summits stretching along the Scottish Borders / Lanarkshire boundary between Biggar and the M74 motorway. A well-positioned line of grouse butts (sunken hides for shooting game birds) perfect for perching on (for humans – not ideal for grouse) makes the direct ascent from near Coulter less of a slog than it might otherwise be. Returning along Coulter Reservoir is probably the most scenic way down.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Sheep in fields at the start 
Climbing Culter Fell 
View over Knowe Dod from the ascent 
Looking across to Woodycleuch Dod (left) & Ward Law (right) from one of the grouse butts 
View northwest towards Tinto (distance) from the cairn at 680m 
View northeast to Chapelgill Hill 
Culter Fell summit 
View south into the heart of the Southern Uplands 
Fainter paths for the descent across Moss Law 
Coulter Reservoir 
Descent from Culter Fell 
Descent to Coulter Reservoir 
Breeks Burn 
Coulter Reservoir 
Coulter Reservoir 
View along the glen & the final part of the route 
Culter Water near the finish
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Culter Allers Farm, minor road 2 mi south of Coulter
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 031312
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.564798,-3.538162
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Layby
📝 Key info
▶ 13 km / 8 mi | ▲ 660 m | ⌛ 3.5-4.5 hr
Features: △ Culter Fell (748 m, “Torbett” / Donald); 💧 Coulter Reservoir
⬤ Moderate | Fairly clear, grassy hill path for the sustained ascent with just a few wet patches. Fainter and boggier in places for descent to Holm Nick, good track around reservoir then quiet tarmac road along the glen.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Fell Shin – Culter Fell – Moss Law – Holm Nick – north side of Coulter Reservoir – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Pheasants, sheep / lambs, dippers, grey wagtails, butterflies in the glen. Mallard ducks on the reservoir.
Weather: Temperature in single figures at base, windy high up. Remnant snow patches above 600m.
April 2019
