Brown Cow Hill

About Brown Cow Hill

Rising above the upper reaches of the River Don near Tomintoul, this broad, heather-clad Corbett offers a sense of immense isolation. Its rounded plateau lacks the drama of the central Cairngorms but provides a grandstand view of Ben Avon’s massive tors across the vast, rolling expanse of the Cock Bridge moors.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a direct translation of the Scottish Gaelic Meall na Bò Ruaidhe, which translates more accurately as 'Hill of the Red Cow,' likely a reference to the reddish-brown hue of the heather that blankets its slopes.
• •From the summit cairn, you are rewarded with an exceptional profile of Ben Avon to the west, where its famous granite tors, particularly Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe, stand out sharply against the skyline.
• •The hill sits on the high watershed between the River Don to the north and the River Gairn to the south, marking a transition point between the rugged high Cairngorms and the softer rolling hills of Aberdeenshire.
• •Walkers often combine the summit with the neighbouring Corbett, Carn Liath, creating a long, high-level circuit across the undulating moorland plateau above Corgarff.
• •Despite the pastoral and somewhat gentle name, anyone attempting a direct line from the north will quickly discover that the 'Cow' protects itself with a formidable belt of energy-sapping peat hags.