Range of the Awful Hand facts for kids
The Range of the Awful Hand is a group of hills in the Galloway Hills in Scotland. These hills are part of the Southern Uplands, which is a large area of hills in southern Scotland. The Range of the Awful Hand is the most western of three long lines of hills. To its east are the Dungeon Hills and the Rhinns of Kells. The Minnigaff Hills are also nearby to the southeast. All these hills are found within the beautiful Galloway Forest Park. This range of hills is located across two areas: South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.
Exploring the Hills
These hills get their interesting name because they look a bit like the fingers of a hand. They are the tallest hills in both the Galloway Hills and the entire Southern Uplands. The highest hill in the range is Merrick, which stands tall at 843 meters (about 2,766 feet). Merrick is much taller than the next highest hill, Kirriereoch Hill, by about 56 meters. This means Merrick is a very important peak!
The land here is a mix of different types. The higher, flatter parts are covered in short grass, which is great for walking. However, the slopes and lower areas can be rocky and sometimes a bit muddy. There are also many smaller hills on the wider, northern side of the range. This part of the range doesn't end as sharply as the hills next to it.
Here are some of the main hills in the Range of the Awful Hand, listed from north to south:
| Hill Name | Height (meters) |
|---|---|
| Shiel Hill | 508 |
| Craigmasheenie | 539 |
| Caerloch Dhu | 659.5 |
| Shalloch on Minnoch | 774.2 |
| Tarfessock | 696.4 |
| Tarfessock South Top | 620 |
| Kirriereoch Hill | 786.8 |
| Merrick | 843 |
| Benyellary | 719 |
| Bennan | 562 |
| Fell of Eschoncan | 348 |
Nature and Wildlife
The Range of the Awful Hand is part of a special area called the Silver Flowe-Merrick Kells Biosphere Reserve. This reserve also includes large parts of the hills to the west and east. It's also a Natura 2000 site, which means it's an important place for nature in Europe.
This area is a fantastic home for many small creatures, especially insects. In the summer, you can often see lots of Odonata (like dragonflies and damselflies), hoverflies, and Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) flying around. It's a busy and lively place for these amazing invertebrates!
What's in a Name?
The name "Range of the Awful Hand" is easier to understand than the names of some nearby hills. Many of the names in this area come from the Scottish Gaelic language. For example:
- 'Kirriereoch Hill' comes from ceathramh riabhach, which means "hill of the brindled quarter."
- 'Merrick' comes from meurag, meaning "finger."
- 'Benyellary' comes from beinn iolaire, meaning "hill of the eagle."
The names of the northern hills are a bit more of a mystery. 'Caerloch Dhu' might come from the Welsh language words caer lloch and the Scottish Gaelic word dhubh. Together, these could mean "black fort of refuge." 'Shalloch on Minnoch' refers to the Water of Minnoch, a river to the west. 'Shalloch' comes from Scottish Gaelic sealghe (hunting), and 'minnoch' comes from meadhonach (middle). So, 'Shalloch on Minnoch' could mean "hunting hill of the middle stream." There's also a farm nearby with the same name, which might have been named after the hill.
