The Range of the Awful Hand is a range of hills in the

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 the Galloway Forest Park, an area of some of largely uninhabited wild land, managed by Forestry an ...

range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The most westerly of three parallel ridges, the range is neighboured to the east by the

Dungeon Hills The Dungeon Hills are a range of hills in the Galloway Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The central of three parallel ridges, they are neighboured by the Range of the Awful Hand to the west and the Rhinns of Kells to the ...

and the

Rhinns of Kells The Rhinns of Kells are a range of hills in the Galloway Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. The most easterly of three parallel ridges, they are neighboured to the west by the Range of the Awful Hand and the Dungeon Hills. T ...

. The

Minnigaff Hills The Minnigaff Hills are a range of hills in the Galloway Hills range, part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. A southerly range, they are perpendicular to the Range of the Awful Hand, Dungeon Hills and Rhinns of Kells to the north. In total, ...

also lie southeast. In total, these four ranges are part of the Galloway Forest Park. The ridge is split between

South Ayrshire South Ayrshire ( sco, Sooth Ayrshire; gd, Siorrachd Àir a Deas, ) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire. On 30 June 2 ...

and

Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway ( sco, Dumfries an Gallowa; gd, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands. It covers the counties of Scotland, historic counties of ...

Hills

The hills are named due to their resemblance to the fingers of a hand. They are the highest of the Galloway Hills and the Southern Uplands with the highest hill, Merrick, reaching 843 m. There is a considerable (approx. 56 m) difference in height between Merrick and the next highest hill, Kirriereoch Hill; as a result there are a number of hill ranges in the Southern Uplands which would otherwise be higher. The terrain is a mix of both ranges to the east in that the higher, flatter ground is on short grass but the slopes and cols are craggy and occasionally boggy. A number of smaller hills dot the broader, northern side of the ridge as it does not terminate as definitively as the neighbouring ridges. Ignoring all satellite ridges, from north to south the main hills are:

Ecology

The range forms part of the

Silver Flowe-Merrick Kells Situated in south-west Scotland, the Silver Flowe-Merrick Kells biosphere reserve is composed of two separate sites. Silver Flowe is a unique bog formation and one of the least interrupted undisturbed mire systems in Europe. Its high value is pr ...

Biosphere Reserve, which incorporates a considerable portion of both ranges to the west and east, and is a

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectively ...

site. The area is very popular with invertebrates and swarms of Odonata, Syrphidae and

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

during summer are common.

Etymology

The range has a more easily understood name than the adjacent two eastwards and has a more pronounced

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

origin, such as in 'Kirriereoch Hill': ''ceathramh riabhach'' (hill of the brindled quarter), 'Merrick': ''meurag'' (finger) and 'Benyellary': ''beinn iolaire'' (hill of the eagle). The northern hills are more obscure; 'Caerloch Dhu' may derive from the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

''caer lloch'' and Scottish Gaelic ''dhubh'' (black fort of refuge) and 'Shalloch on Minnoch' (referring to the Water of Minnoch to the west), where 'shalloch' derives from Scottish Gaelic ''sealghe'' (hunting) and 'minnoch' derives from ''meadhonach'' (middle), ultimately meaning 'hunting hill of the middle burn'. The farm of the same name to the west may borrow from the name of the hill.

References

{{Reflist Mountains and hills of the Southern Uplands Mountains and hills of Dumfries and Galloway Mountains and hills of South Ayrshire