Carn Liath

Rising above the Braes of Glenlivet, this broad, rounded summit is the highest point of the Ladder Hills. It offers a remote, heather-clad character typical of the eastern Grampians. The terrain is predominantly peat and grass, providing an expansive feel and far-reaching views across the rolling hills of the Glenlivet Estate.

• •The name is derived from the Gaelic Càrn Liath, meaning 'Grey Hill' or 'Grey Cairn', likely referencing the weathered stone and lichen-covered rocks found across its expansive summit plateau.
• •As the highest point of the Ladder Hills, it sits on the watershed between the River Livet and the Water of Nochtie, marking the geographical boundary between Moray and Aberdeenshire.
• •The most common approach begins from the remote village of Chapeltown, leading walkers through the Braes of Glenlivet and into an area famously associated with the history of illicit whisky distilling.
• •From the summit, walkers are rewarded with a distinctive profile of the Cairngorm giants to the west, with the sprawling tors of Ben Avon and the plateau of Beinn a' Bhuird easily identifiable.
• •The hill's gentle, whale-back profile means you are far more likely to be defeated by a stubborn peat hag than by any technical difficulty or exposure.