Galloway Hills & Glenkens
The Galloway Hills encapsulates 24
named peaks above 2000 feet in Dumfries & Galloway,
among them ranges such as the Rhins of Kells, the Minnigaff
Hills, the Awful Hand and the Dungeon Hills. The Merrick, rising
up above Loch Trool, is Dumfries & Galloway's highest
peak at 2,765 feet, and forms the 'forefingers'; of
the Awful Hand range, offering superb views on a clear day of
some Highland ranges, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and the
Lake District.
Walking here is challenging and you should come well prepared
for changing weather conditions, but the rewards are well worth
it and you'll find peace, tranquillity and solitude among
the quiet rolling hills, numerous lochs and cascading burns
and waterfalls.
Peppered with historical tales, the Galloway Hills have proved
a safe haven for people seeking refuge for centuries. Robert
the Bruce fled to these hills pursued by the English Army after
he murdered the Red Comyn and assumed the Scottish Crown. The
Galloway Hills looked after him well, and he won his first battle
over the English here in 1307 using the rough terrain, unfamiliar
to the English, to his advantage.
In the late 1600s the hills were again used as a place of retreat,
by covenanters fleeing persecution, and later still as a hideaway
for the fierce and colourful gypsy clans of the 18th century.
There are monuments and cairns which commemorate these turbulent
times throughout Galloway, but today the hills mainly attract
people fleeing the pressures of modern day life. Providing an
escape and a chance to enjoy one of the few remaining wildernesses
in Britain.
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