Scotland
Big Garvoun
742M
2433FT
About Big Garvoun
Rising above the remote upper reaches of the River Livet, this substantial, heathery hump offers a quintessential eastern Cairngorms experience. Often overlooked in favour of the nearby Ladder Hills, its broad summit provides a sense of immense isolation and far-reaching views across the wild, undulating moors towards the distant bulk of Ben Avon.
Key Statistics
Rank
122nd Highest in The Cairngorms
Parent Range
The Cairngorms
Prominence
?
90m
Nearest Town
Moray
Geology
Big Garvoun is composed of Glen Loin Quartzite and Nethybridge Psammite. These formations are made of hard, gritty rocks originally formed from compressed sand.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NJ147084
Latitude
57.1585°N
Longitude
3.4118°W
Did You Know?
- •The name combines the Scots 'Big' with a corruption of the Gaelic Garbh, meaning rough or stony, likely describing the heathery, boulder-strewn ground or the character of the adjacent Garvoun Burn.
- •Positioned on the wild fringes of the Glenlivet Estate, the summit offers an expansive perspective of the Ladder Hills to the north and the jagged silhouette of the Braes of Glenlivet.
- •It sits directly north of its smaller sibling, Little Garvoun (614m); the two are separated by a high, peaty saddle that confirms why 'Big' is the necessary prefix for this 741-metre dome.
- •Being so close to Tomintoul, famously the highest village in the Highlands, this is one of the few spots in the area where you can legitimately look down on the residents while remaining entirely outdoors.