Croft Head
Encyclopedia
Croft Head is a hill
in the Southern Uplands
of Scotland
7 km due east of Moffat
. Its summit height above sea level is just 637 metres but it offers unobstructed views to the Solway Firth
, the fells and mountains of Cumbria
and the Pennines
to the south and east. To the north, the major Moffat Hills
are close by and to the west, Queensberry
, the Lowthers
and many of the Galloway Hills
can be seen.
Its summit is easily reached from Moffat by taking the Southern Upland Way
path east from the Moffat water bridge near Craigbeck. A quite dramatic ridge loop is possible by climbing north on the forestry fire road
shortly after Craigbeck Hope cottage via Gateshaw Rig (567 m) to Croft Head's summit and descending via Cat Shoulder to the junction of the SUW and the Selcoth burn pass.
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
in the Southern Uplands
Southern Uplands
The Southern Uplands are the southernmost and least populous of mainland Scotland's three major geographic areas . The term is used both to describe the geographical region and to collectively denote the various ranges of hills within this region...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
7 km due east of Moffat
Moffat
Moffat is a former burgh and spa town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, lying on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. The most notable building in the town is the Moffat House Hotel, designed by John Adam...
. Its summit height above sea level is just 637 metres but it offers unobstructed views to the Solway Firth
Solway Firth
The Solway Firth is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in Cumbria, to the Mull of Galloway, on the western end of Dumfries and Galloway. The Isle of Man is also very...
, the fells and mountains of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
to the south and east. To the north, the major Moffat Hills
Moffat Hills
The Moffat hills are a range of hills in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. They form a distinctly triangular shape with a west facing side, a north facing side, and a south-east facing side. It is 17 kilometres from east to west across this triangle and some 16 kilometres north to south...
are close by and to the west, Queensberry
Queensberry (hill)
Queensberry is a hill at the southern end of the Lowther Hills in southern Scotland....
, the Lowthers
Lowther Hills
The Lowther Hills, also sometimes known as the Lowthers, are an extensive area of hill country in the Southern Uplands of Scotland, though some sub ranges of hills in this area also go under their own local names - see "Hill Walking" below. They form a roughly rhomboidal or lozenge shape on the map...
and many of the Galloway Hills
Galloway Hills
The Galloway hills are part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland, and form the northern boundary of western Galloway. They lie within the bounds of Galloway Forest Park, an area of some of largely uninhabited wild land, managed by the Forestry Commission...
can be seen.
Its summit is easily reached from Moffat by taking the Southern Upland Way
Southern Upland Way
Opened in 1984, the Southern Upland Way is a coast to coast walk in Scotland between Portpatrick in the west and Cockburnspath in the east....
path east from the Moffat water bridge near Craigbeck. A quite dramatic ridge loop is possible by climbing north on the forestry fire road
Firebreak
A firebreak is a gap in vegetation or other combustible material that acts as a barrier to slow or stop the progress of a bushfire or wildfire. A firebreak may occur naturally where there is a lack of vegetation or "fuel", such as a river, lake or canyon...
shortly after Craigbeck Hope cottage via Gateshaw Rig (567 m) to Croft Head's summit and descending via Cat Shoulder to the junction of the SUW and the Selcoth burn pass.