Ettrick Pen

Ettrick Pen is a hill in the Ettrick Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It lies southwest of the village of Ettrick, on the border of the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. The highest of the Ettrick Hills, it stands at 692 metres above sea level. A remote peak, it is crossed by the Southern Upland Way and is a prominent landmark from many directions. Its summit is topped by an ancient cairn. The hill is worth the journey for walkers seeking quiet and space. The Southern Upland Way passes over the summit, offering a long-distance route through open moorland and rolling hills. The cairn at the top marks an old meeting place or boundary point. From the summit, views stretch across the Southern Uplands and into the English Lake District on clear days. The area is rich in folklore and has been a gathering spot for centuries. Visitors find a simple path leading to the summit from the village of Ettrick. The route climbs through heather moorland and rough grassland, with no steep climbs. The cairn at the top is made of local stones and stands as a quiet reminder of the past. The surrounding hills offer further exploration for those who wish to walk further. The air is clean and the silence deep, broken only by the wind and birds.