Southern Uplands

The Southern Uplands stretch across southern Scotland as a broad belt of hills and moorland. They form the least populated of the country’s three main regions, lying south of the Southern Uplands Fault which runs from the Ayrshire coast to the North Sea. The land is mostly open moorland with patches of forest and rough grazing. Hills here carry names like the Galloway Hills, the Lowther Hills and the Moffat Hills, each marking the character of the ground. Many of the hills are low by Highland standards but still rise above 700 metres. The region also holds some of Scotland’s highest villages, including Wanlockhead at 430 metres above sea level. The uplands are built from ancient Silurian rocks pushed up during the Caledonian mountain-building period around 400 million years ago. These rocks include coarse greywacke and softer shales that weather into deep valleys and steep slopes. Rivers such as the Clyde and the Tweed cut through the hills, while smaller burns feed lochs like Loch Ken and Loch Doon. Some lochs were enlarged by the Galloway Hydro Scheme in the 1930s to generate power. The varied geology also feeds distinctive mineral springs around Moffat that have drawn visitors for generations. Walkers find long ridges and broad moors with sweeping views across the uplands. Red deer and mountain hares live among the heather, while golden eagles and hen harriers circle overhead. In the west, forests shelter red squirrels and wild boar, and ospreys fish over the lochs. The hills hold about 120 Marilyns and many Corbetts and Grahams, offering routes for all levels. The Galloway Forest Park in the west is one of the darkest places in Europe, ideal for stargazing. Along the valleys, old textile towns recall a past industry that once shaped the region’s economy.