Is Erie Hill a hard climb?

Erie Hill is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 13km with 566m of ascent and takes most walkers 3-6 hours. Underfoot: Smooth ridge grass with occasional peat hag in the dips.

What is Erie Hill's prominence?

92m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Erie Hill to the next higher ground.

Where do I park for Erie Hill?

Most walkers start from NT128185. Verify the grid reference on an OS map before you set off — space is tight on busy summer weekends.

When is the best time to climb Erie Hill?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November give the most reliable conditions on Erie Hill. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.

Is Erie Hill dog-friendly?

Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.

By Gary

Photo: Richard Webb / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Donald · Borders

Erie Hill

A subsidiary top on the long undulating watershed between Talla and the Megget — Erie Hill is rarely climbed in its own right, but most parties tagging Hillshaw Head or Gathersnow pass over it. A small mossy cairn sits in a patch of bare ground.

Quick facts

Height: 690m/ 2264ft
Prominence: 92 m
Distance: ~13 km
Ascent: ~566 m
Time: 3–6 hrs
Difficulty: 3 / 5Strenuous
Grid ref: NT124187
Parking: NT128185
Nearest city: Dumfries· 45km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).

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Standard route

grass moorland 80% · heather patches 15% · summit area 5%

13km · 566m ascent · 3.5 hrs

Almost always combined with Talla Cleuch Head and Hillshaw Head from the Megget Stone, taking a high traverse across the watershed. Around 11km for the three tops, with 600m of total climb.

Terrain

Smooth ridge grass with occasional peat hag in the dips. A line of old wooden fenceposts marches across the watershed and serves as the main route-finding feature.

In winter

Wreaths of snow build along the fence-line and can drift to a metre after south-westerly gales. In clag the rolling top can confuse — keep the fence on hand at all times.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Erie Hill. SAIS forecasts six areas only — Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber, Glencoe and Torridon — and this hill is outside all of them, so there is no avalanche forecast to read for it. In winter, use MWIS Southern Uplands ↗ for mountain weather, judge snow stability from first principles, and treat any cornice or wind-loaded slope with extra caution.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow2h 41m
Edinburgh1h 21m

Parking: NT128185

OS maps: OS Landranger 78

Mobile signal: Reliable up top; EE is dependable. Smooth Moffat Hills area hill.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 02mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:45
Sunset: 19:33
Civil dawn: 06:08
Civil dusk: 20:10

NOAA Solar Calculator · 15 September 2026

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Around Erie Hill on the SCOT network

Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Tweedbank station

Borders Railway terminus; Eildon Hills, Melrose, Tweed Valley

46km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

Before you go

Hillwalking carries real risk and the responsibility for any day on the hill is yours. Conditions in Scotland change fast and can differ sharply from the forecast — check the weather and the ground before you commit, turn back when the day stops working, and carry map and compass with the ability to use them rather than relying on a phone.

The distance, ascent and time shown on this page are editorial estimates for the usual line, not measurements from a recorded track — that is what the ~ means. Treat them as a rough shape of the day. Your own pace, the conditions and the exact line you take will all move them.

Mountain forecasts: MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast. Access rights and responsibilities are set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

We check what we publish, but we cannot check the route on the day you walk it. Nothing here is a substitute for your own judgement.

Erie Hill — common questions

Is Erie Hill a hard climb?: Erie Hill is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 13km with 566m of ascent and takes most walkers 3-6 hours. Underfoot: Smooth ridge grass with occasional peat hag in the dips.
What is Erie Hill's prominence?: 92m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Erie Hill to the next higher ground.
Where do I park for Erie Hill?: Most walkers start from NT128185. Verify the grid reference on an OS map before you set off — space is tight on busy summer weekends.
When is the best time to climb Erie Hill?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November give the most reliable conditions on Erie Hill. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
Is Erie Hill dog-friendly?: Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
Is there mobile signal on Erie Hill?: Reliable up top; EE is dependable. Smooth Moffat Hills area hill.
Is Erie Hill safe in winter?: Wreaths of snow build along the fence-line and can drift to a metre after south-westerly gales. In clag the rolling top can confuse — keep the fence on hand at all times.

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