| Merrick | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 843 m (2,766 ft)[1] |
| Prominence | 705 m[1] |
| Listing | Ma,Hu,Tu,Sim,C,D,CoH,CoU, CoA,DN,Y,T100,P600,P500[2] |
| Coordinates | 55°08′21″N4°28′06″W / 55.1393°N 4.4684°W /55.1393; -4.4684 |
| Geography | |
  Merrick | |
| Parent range | Range of the Awful Hand,Southern Uplands |
| OS grid | NX 42760 85547 |
| Topo map | OSLandranger 77 |
TheMerrick (fromGaelicmeurag, "fingered, knucked")[3] is a mountain in theRange of the Awful Hand, a sub-range of theGalloway Hills range, part of theSouthern Uplands ofScotland. The summit elevation is 843 metres (2,766 feet), making it the highest mountain in theSouthern Uplands and southernScotland.
The 144-mile (232 km) view between Merrick andSnowdon is the longest line of sight in the British Isles[1]. Although theoretically visible, looking from S-N, Merrick is almost entirely obscured byLamachan Hill and as such, confirmed sightings are very rare.
An interesting feature on the mountain is the presence of several large partly buriedgranite boulders at about 800 m on the broad west ridge.[4] They areglacial erratics, but the exact mechanism is unclear that has brought them to rest close to the highest point of theSouthern Uplands and over 200 m higher than any currently occurring granite in theGalloway Hills.
The shortest route of ascent is from the car park inGlen Trool. The car park is located nearBruce's Stone, a monument commemorating the victory ofRobert the Bruce over the English forces ofEdward II at theBattle of Glen Trool in 1307. The Merrick is a relatively straightforward and easy hike from the car park near Bruce's Stone. The route climbs past the Culshargbothy then up on toBenyellary. After dropping slightly the final climb to the summit trig-point is made. Be aware that if descending in poor visibility a very common mistake is to walk down the west ridge into remote terrain. The total round-trip distance from Glen Trool to the summit and back is approximately 9 miles (14 kilometres).
Because of the nature of the rock, no goodrock climbing has been recorded on the Merrick. However, in winter after a good freeze there are a number of goodice climbs of up to 200 m on the Black Gairy, which lies west of the summit.[5]
| Summit | Height (m) | Listing[2] |
|---|---|---|
| Benyellary | 719 | Tu,Sim,DT,GT,DN[6] |
| Knee of Cairnsmore | 657 | Tu,Sim,DT,GT,DN[7] |
| Meikle Multaggart | 612 | Tu,Sim,DT,GT,DN[8] |
| Northern Highlands (20) |    | |
|---|---|---|
| Western Highlands (20) | ||
| Central and Eastern Highlands (13) | ||
| Southern Highlands (15) | ||
| Islands (13) | ||
| Scottish Lowlands, England and Wales (13) | ||
| Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland (25) | ||
