📌 Moffat Hills, Dumfries & Galloway
★★★★
The Moffat Hills must be one of the UK’s most underrated upland walking areas: a surprisingly rugged range in the heart of southern Scotland with scenery befitting of the Highlands. Many visitors come just for the Grey Mare’s Tail – arguably the UK’s 5th highest waterfall amongst spectacular surroundings – but what lies beyond is perhaps even more stunning. This circuit continues up the hanging valley to beautiful Loch Skeen, before climbing the craggy hill of Lochcraig Head behind it. White Coomb lies further to the southwest, linked by a broad horseshoe of morrland which gives easy going. There is a steeper descent, with hands probably needed on one scrambly section. There’s also a sting in the Tail (Burn): crossing this usually involves a walk upstream or wet feet.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Tail Burn & first glimpse of Grey Mare’s Tail 
View back over Moffat Dale 
Grey Mare’s Tail 
Upper falls 
Tail Burn 
Snow on White Coomb 
Tail Burn 
Loch Skeen 
Lochcraig Head beyond Loch Skeen 
Boggy peat hags on approach to Lochcraig Head 
Loch Skeen from the ascent 
Lochcraig Rig 
Lochcraig Head summit, looking northwest 
Loch Skeen & White Coomb (right distance) from the crags south of Lochcraig Head 
View back to Lochcraig Head from Firthybrig Head 
White Coomb summit, looking north 
Descent from Upper Tarnberry 
Loch Skeen & Lochcraig Head from the descent
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Grey Mare’s Tail car park (A708 10 mi northeast of Moffat)
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 186145
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.417608,-3.287234
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Car park (charge, gets full)
📝 Key info
▶ 12 km / 7 mi | ▲ 750 m | ⌛ 4.5-5.5 hr
Features: 🌊 Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall ★★★★ & nature reserve; 💧 Loch Skeen; △ Lochcraig Head (801 m, Donald); △ White Coomb (821 m, Corbett / Donald)
⬤ Tough | Excellent path to Loch Skeen, though quite steep at first with some rocky spots. Path for the remainder is often faint; notably boggy before slopes of Lochcraig Head are reached. Burn crossing on descent could be impossible in spate.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit with minor detours: start – Grey Mare’s Tail (east bank) – Loch Skeen – Lochcraig Head – Firthybrig Head – Donald’s Cleuch Head – Firthhope Rig – White Coomb – Upper Tarnberry – cross Tail Burn – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Lots of sheep. Wild goats & peregrine falcons by Grey Mare’s Tail on a separate visit.
Weather: Sunny with scattered clouds – forecast heavy showers didn’t materialise. Just below freezing on the summits but felt comfortable with light winds and warm sun.
April 2016
