How hard is Hart Fell?

We grade Hart Fell at 2/5, which puts it in moderate territory. The usual route is around 13km with 650m of climbing; allow 2-4 hours. Ground conditions: Pathless grass and heather.

How much drop does Hart Fell have?

The drop is 200m: measured from the summit of Hart Fell down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.

Where's the parking for Hart Fell?

Park at NT063128 near Moffat. Double-check the grid reference on an OS map first; informal laybys here fill early in high season.

What's the best month to climb Hart Fell?

Aim for April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Hart Fell. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.

Can dogs go up Hart Fell?

Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.

By the OutdoorSCOT editor

Photo: James T M Towill / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Donald · Borders

Hart Fell

Twin of White Coomb across the Moffat Hills, with the famous Devil's Beef Tub on its western flank — the steep amphitheatre that hid Border reivers and their stolen cattle.

Quick facts

Height: 808m/ 2651ft
Prominence: 200 m
Distance: ~13 km
Ascent: ~650 m
Time: 2–4 hrs
Difficulty: 2 / 5Moderate
Grid ref: NT113135
Parking: NT063128
Nearest: Moffat· Dumfries 40km
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 60% · heather slopes 25% · rocky summit 15%

13km · 650m ascent · 4.5 hrs

Approach from the A701 layby above the Devil's Beef Tub. Follow the path along the rim onto Annanhead Hill, then the broad grassy ridge over Great Hill to the summit. The rim above the Beef Tub gives the most dramatic line, edging the steep amphitheatre all the way to the summit shelter.

Terrain

Pathless grass and heather. Easy navigation in good weather.

In winter

Featureless dome — winter navigation can be testing.

Kit for this: the winter Munro kit list · which boots take crampons

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Hart Fell. 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 35m
Edinburgh1h 15m

Parking: NT063128

OS maps: OS Explorer 330

Mobile signal: Decent up top; EE reliable with clear views to the Borders.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

11h 51mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 07:41
Sunset: 18:18
Civil dawn: 07:04
Civil dusk: 18:55

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 October 2026

Pair with

Curated multi-hill combinations from Hart Fell.

Two-hill day
Hart Fell + White Coomb
Moffat Hills classic — link the two highest from Capplegill
18km · 850m ascent · 6.5 hrs

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Around Hart Fell 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

49km 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.

Hart Fell — common questions

How hard is Hart Fell?: We grade Hart Fell at 2/5, which puts it in moderate territory. The usual route is around 13km with 650m of climbing; allow 2-4 hours. Ground conditions: Pathless grass and heather.
How much drop does Hart Fell have?: The drop is 200m: measured from the summit of Hart Fell down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
Where's the parking for Hart Fell?: Park at NT063128 near Moffat. Double-check the grid reference on an OS map first; informal laybys here fill early in high season.
What's the best month to climb Hart Fell?: Aim for April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Hart Fell. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.
Can dogs go up Hart Fell?: Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.
Will I get phone signal on Hart Fell?: Decent up top; EE reliable with clear views to the Borders.
Is Hart Fell safe in winter?: Featureless dome — winter navigation can be testing.

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