Creagan a' Chaise

About Creagan a' Chaise

Rising above the Spey Valley, this is the highest point of the expansive Hills of Cromdale. It offers a straightforward but rewarding climb through heather moorland, culminating at a massive summit cairn. From the top, the panoramic views of the northern Cairngorm giants are among the finest in the region.

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Did You Know?

• •Gaelic Creagan a' Chaise translates as the "Little Rock of the Cheese", a name usually given to hills with rich summer grazing that produced high-quality dairy, rather than any specific geological resemblance to a wedge of cheddar.
• •The summit is crowned by the Coronation Cairn, an enormous beehive-shaped monument built in 1902 by the local estate to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII.
• •The hill offers an uninterrupted vista across Strathspey to the massive hulks of the Cairngorms, with the distinctive pyramid of Bynack More and the high plateau of Ben Macdui clearly visible on a clear day.
• •These slopes were a stronghold for illicit whisky distillers in the 18th century, who used the hidden folds of the Cromdale ridge to evade the excisemen while keeping a watchful eye on the valley below.
• •If you find yourself struggling through the deep heather, take comfort in the fact that the 1902 construction party had to haul enough stone up here to build a monument that can be seen from several miles away.