Meall an Achaidh Gharbhgein

Rising above the remote upper reaches of Strathdearn, this 503-metre moorland hump offers a quiet, pathless experience in the Monadhliath. It sits in a rugged landscape of peat hags and heather, rewarding a determined approach with wide views across the Findhorn valley toward the higher, wilder Monadhliath plateaus.

• •The name translates from Gaelic as the 'hill of the field of the rough birth', a cryptic title that likely refers to the particularly rugged and broken nature of the immediate terrain.
• •Located in the heart of Strathdearn, the hill is situated on the Coignafearn estate, a primary habitat for golden eagles and one of the best places in the Highlands to spot red deer.
• •The summit offers a commanding view of the River Findhorn as it snakes through the valley below, with the massive, rounded bulk of Carn na Saobhaidhe dominating the southern horizon.
• •The approach involves negotiating a sea of peat hags and deep heather, ensuring that even at 503 metres, this hill makes you work significantly harder for the view than the height suggests.