[As written] From the Gaelic Beinn Meurach meaning branched or fingered hill. The whole range is said to resemble a set of knuckles and is known as the Ridge of the Awful Hand.
The Merrick is the highest and most popular hill in southern Scotland. On a clear day, it is a spectacular vantage point with views south to the Lake District and the Isle of Man, west to Northern Ireland and north to the Highlands. It also happens to have Galloway's most extensive winter crag, which forms a large number of very good water-ice routes.