What difficulty is Sell Moor Hill?

On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Sell Moor Hill comes in at 1/5 — easy. Terrain: Plantation edges and rough Selkirkshire moorland, with heather and rushy grass on the broad top.

How prominent is Sell Moor Hill?

Sell Moor Hill has 151m of topographic prominence — the height of its summit above the highest col connecting it to higher ground. Marilyns are defined by that measure: at least 150m of drop on all sides.

When should I climb Sell Moor Hill?

The standard good-weather months for Sell Moor Hill are March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.

Can I bring my dog up Sell Moor Hill?

On a lead only — the route crosses ground with livestock or nesting-bird interest.

By Gary

Photo: Rude Health / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Borders

Sell Moor Hill

Sell Moor Hill at 423m occupies the rolling NT-prefix moorland between Bowhill and the Ettrick valley east of Selkirk. Quiet country, more frequented by shepherds than hillwalkers. Reaches 423.9 m in the Borders.

Quick facts

Height: 423.9m/ 1391ft
Prominence: 151 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NT 48038 44465
Nearest city: Edinburgh· 37km
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 25% · boggy ground 10%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

Hill tracks from the Ettrick valley climb past Bowhill plantations onto the moor — fence-lines guide the final pull to the broad summit. Around 9km return, 3 hours.

Terrain

Plantation edges and rough Selkirkshire moorland, with heather and rushy grass on the broad top. No clear path on the final summit dome.

In winter

Sheltered moorland that takes a hard frost well. Snow lying among the heather makes the line awkward to follow without a fence to follow.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Sell Moor 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

Glasgow4h 42m
Edinburgh1h 9m

OS maps: OS Landranger 73, OS Explorer 338

Mobile signal: Good. Borders; reliable EE coverage throughout.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 08mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:41
Sunset: 19:34
Civil dawn: 06:03
Civil dusk: 20:11

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026

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Around Sell Moor 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

12km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Glenkinchie

Pencaitland — Edinburgh's neighbour; light, grassy Lowlander

24km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Sell Moor Hill — common questions

What difficulty is Sell Moor Hill?: On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Sell Moor Hill comes in at 1/5 — easy. Terrain: Plantation edges and rough Selkirkshire moorland, with heather and rushy grass on the broad top.
How prominent is Sell Moor Hill?: Sell Moor Hill has 151m of topographic prominence — the height of its summit above the highest col connecting it to higher ground. Marilyns are defined by that measure: at least 150m of drop on all sides.
When should I climb Sell Moor Hill?: The standard good-weather months for Sell Moor Hill are March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.
Can I bring my dog up Sell Moor Hill?: On a lead only — the route crosses ground with livestock or nesting-bird interest.
What's mobile reception like on Sell Moor Hill?: Good. Borders; reliable EE coverage throughout.
Is Sell Moor Hill safe in winter?: Sheltered moorland that takes a hard frost well. Snow lying among the heather makes the line awkward to follow without a fence to follow.

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