How difficult is White Coomb?

White Coomb carries a 2/5 (moderate) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 11km, 690m of ascent and a 3-5 hour day on the standard route. Underfoot: Good path to the loch.

What is White Coomb's prominence?

375m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links White Coomb to the next higher ground.

Where do I park for White Coomb?

Most walkers start from NT187144 near Moffat. 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 White Coomb?

April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on White Coomb. 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 White Coomb dog-friendly?

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

By the OutdoorSCOT editor

Photo: Walter Baxter / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Donald · Borders

White Coomb

The highest of the Moffat Hills, sitting above the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall and the hanging corrie holding Loch Skeen. A brilliant winter outing on a list usually thought of as gentle, with steep cornice-prone edges in cold weather.

Quick facts

Height: 821.6m/ 2696ft
Prominence: 375 m
Distance: ~11 km
Ascent: ~690 m
Time: 3–5 hrs
Difficulty: 2 / 5Moderate
Grid ref: NT163150
Parking: NT187144
Nearest: Moffat· Dumfries 43km
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 65% · heather slopes 25% · rocky corrie edge 10%

11km · 690m ascent · 4.5 hrs

Path from the NTS Grey Mare's Tail car park, climbing past the waterfall to Loch Skeen, then up the steep grass slopes to the summit dome.

Terrain

Good path to the loch. Steep grassy ascent above. Pathless on the summit plateau.

In winter

Gets full winter conditions in cold spells. Cornices form on the lee edges.

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

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers White Coomb. 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 20m

Parking: NT187144DG10 9LR

OS maps: OS Explorer 330

Mobile signal: Good summit signal; EE seldom drops. Prominent viewpoint above the Moffat Hills.

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 White Coomb.

Two-hill day
White Coomb + Hart Fell
Classic Moffat Hills traverse linking the two highest summits
18km · 850m ascent · 6.5 hrs

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Around White Coomb 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

44km 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.

White Coomb — common questions

How difficult is White Coomb?: White Coomb carries a 2/5 (moderate) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 11km, 690m of ascent and a 3-5 hour day on the standard route. Underfoot: Good path to the loch.
What is White Coomb's prominence?: 375m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links White Coomb to the next higher ground.
Where do I park for White Coomb?: Most walkers start from NT187144 near Moffat. 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 White Coomb?: April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on White Coomb. 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 White Coomb 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 White Coomb?: Good summit signal; EE seldom drops. Prominent viewpoint above the Moffat Hills.
Is White Coomb safe in winter?: Gets full winter conditions in cold spells. Cornices form on the lee edges.

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