Hill walk routes to climb in SW Scotland - also coastal paths and National Scenic Areas with maps, pictures and other useful information based on extensive local knowledge

Saddle Yoke, Hartfell and Swatte Fell Round 1

Saddle Yoke 2 - Main Borders Map - Site Homepage
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For many hill walkers this would be the best loved walk in the Moffat Hills, or perhaps even in the whole of Southern Scotland. The map shows our walk in yellow and the neighbouring Carrifran walk in green. There is also a web gallery of this same walk done in winter conditions (on 10th February 2010) Below we have a view from the shoulder of Croft Head which gives a useful angle on this group of hills. If you mouseover the image you will get a shot from near the top of Croft Head on the same day. These three great fingers pointing into Moffadale were formed by glacial action pouring down the two valleys into the main glacier which came down Moffatdale they say.

 Map showing routes from Moffatdale onto the Moffat hills
Two views from Crofthead showing the Moffat hills on the far side of Moffat Dale
The picture right is taken from Saddle Yoke looking back down Moffat Dale to where the shots above were taken from. Red spots on the image show the approximate points where they were taken - in the Ettrick hills.
View looking back from Saddle Yoke towards Mooffat Dale
The top picture shows where to park at Capplegill and the picture behind gives a wider angle Top picture shows cairn on Saddle Yoke and picture behind it shows view into the Saddle. See Carrifran 2 for more pictures
Above shows the start of the ascent from Capplegill and the view from the top of Saddle Yoke looking SW to Black Craig. Mouseover the above images to see other pictures of this stage of the walk. Below left shows White Coomb and Carrifran in front of it as we head down into Whirly Gill. Below right and we are round past Whirly Gill looking down into Black Hope Glen - Saddle Yoke on the left and Swatte fell on the right of the valley
White Comb and Carrifran from Whirly Gill View into Blackhope Glen from near Whirly Gill
View from the trig point on Hartfell View of Saddle Yoke from above Hartfell Craig
View of the top of the Black Hope Glen with Whirly Gill and White Coomb beyond
The 2 shots above were taken on a much colder day. Left shows the Trig point on Harfell with White Coomb and Carrifran in the distance. Right shows the fence that you follow away from the top of Hartfell making for Swatte Fell. Saddle Yoke is in the middle of the picture. the picture alongside shows the top of the Black Hope Glen with the escape route down Whirly Gill in the corner in front of White Coomb.
Carrifran - Saddle Yoke 2 - Swatte Fell - Loch Skene - Beef Tub - Loch Fell
Hartfell Spa - Main Borders Map - Site Homepage - Moffat Hills Introduction