Meall Gorm

Rising above the Spittal of Glenmuick, this heather-clad Hump offers a straightforward ascent and an excellent vantage point. It serves as a quiet alternative to the busier Lochnagar tracks, providing a grandstand view across the Muick valley toward the jagged profile of the White Mounth’s eastern corries.

• •The name is derived from the Gaelic Meall Gorm, meaning 'Blue Hill' or 'Green-blue Hill', a common descriptor for rounded summits that take on a hazy, dark appearance against the horizon.
• •The summit provides a focused view of the winding River Muick and the Spittal of Glenmuick, allowing walkers to watch the crowds heading for Lochnagar from a peaceful distance.
• •It is situated on the edge of the Balmoral Estate, and the surrounding moorland is managed for red grouse, meaning the terrain is largely dominated by heather and managed burning patches.
• •It is a hill of such modest local reputation that you are far more likely to share the summit with a curious red deer than a fellow hillwalker.