West Knock

Hill, Mountain in Angus

Scotland

West Knock

Track by East Knock A track skirting the flank of East Knock, with the Clash of Wirren visible in the distance. — Track by East Knock Credit: William Starkey

West Knock is a prominent hill located in the county of Angus, in eastern Scotland. Situated within the Angus Glens, it forms part of the Grampian Mountains and stands at an elevation of approximately 656 meters (2,152 feet) above sea level. The hill's coordinates are 56.904°N latitude and 3.326°W longitude.

Known for its rugged and picturesque landscape, West Knock offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Its slopes are covered with heather and grass, while rocky outcrops can be found in certain areas. The hill is part of a larger upland area that includes other notable peaks such as East Knock and Mayar.

West Knock is a popular destination for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, attracting visitors who seek to explore the natural beauty of the Angus Glens. A variety of walking routes and trails are available, catering to different levels of difficulty and providing opportunities to spot local wildlife such as red deer and mountain hares.

The hill is easily accessible from nearby towns and villages, with several parking areas located at the base. While the ascent can be challenging, the rewarding views from the summit make the climb worthwhile. Whether it is to enjoy a peaceful walk or to engage in more strenuous outdoor activities, West Knock offers a memorable experience in the heart of Angus.

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West Knock Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 56.869613/-2.8638933 or Grid Reference NO4775. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Track by East Knock

A track skirting the flank of East Knock, with the Clash of Wirren visible in the distance.

William Starkey

Corrie Murrin

A view across Corrie Murrin, over the Burn of Dalbrack.

William Starkey

Blue Cairn

The summit of Blue Cairn, with hills to the north of Glen Esk visible in the distance.

William Starkey

East Knock

The cairn on the summit of East Knock.

William Starkey

Lochan at the Clash of Dullet

A small lochan situated at the Clash of Dullet, between Garlet and Blue Cairn

William Starkey

Garlet Hill

A view to the east from Garlet, with nearby Cowie Hill visible in the middle distance.

William Starkey

West Knock

A view to the north from West Knock, with the monument on the Hill of Rowan visible in the distance.

William Starkey

Black Hill

Moorland between Glen Esk and Glen Lethnot seen from the small rise of Little Black Hill.

Richard Webb

Burn of Coire Breac

An awkward one this - getting across the grid line involved standing on huge drift on a corrie headwall and assuming that the old snow was stable. There was a lot of avalanche debris in the corrie below. The view is down the burn towards Glen Lethnot and snow free terrain. Cloud has erased the top of Hill of Wirren.

Richard Webb

Coire Breac

View from atop a snowdrift on the headwall of the corrie towards Shank of Cochlie

Richard Webb

Road, Black Hill

Track vehicles use the snow filled ditch on the left and the road is graded so that snow blows off it.

Richard Webb

Road, Black Hill

The road is almost clear of snow and has probably been built to blow clear easily. The Angus grouse moor estates have several track laying vehicles for work in the snow and these can use the snow catching ditch at the side of the road. There has been a lot of road building on the Angus moors in recent years.

Richard Webb

Stile on Black Hill

There is a double electric fence, degraded by snow but still an awkward obstacle, running along the Esk/Lethnot watershed. Crossing places are spaced, but you will rarely find yourself more than 1km from one. On this occasion you could easily cross over in several places, thanks to the big snow drifts. The fence was built to exclude deer, tick carriers, from the grouse moors. The summit of Black Hill is north of the fence and this stile is nearby to the east.

Richard Webb

Summit of Black Hill

Bogs and rough stuff is well buried beneath deep consolidated snow, the snow had even rendered the infamous electric fence impotent. Nowhere near a whiteout, although misty, visibility was good enough for easy navigation.

Richard Webb

Peat hags between West Knock and Black Hill

Perfect conditions for bog trotting - just walk above the peat on deep consolidated snow. Enough smugness, last time I was up on this ridge, the snow was a bit rotten and I had a very tough time. Summer view: NO4675 : Peat Haggs between West Knock and Black Hill

Richard Webb

Electric fence crossing place

The gate is a partial solution to getting over the electric fence which runs along the Esk/Lethnot watershed ridge. Unfortunately there are also electric fences running perpendicular to the main fence on the north side. This gate is fine as long as you plan on heading downhill or westward only. The main fence was built to exclude deer. Recently the grouse shoots on the Braes of Angus have been improved and cutting the tick population through deer exclusion and sheep dipping has been one of the methods used. Being February the grouse were quite vocal.

Richard Webb

Electric fence on West Knock

A temporary solution to the electric fence problem: snow has buried the double fence which was built to exclude deer from grouse moors. There is a crossing place near the summit of West Knock.

Richard Webb