Scotland
Cairn Kincraig
559M
1834FT
About Cairn Kincraig
Rising above the village of Kincraig, this heather-clad summit serves as an accessible gateway to the Monadhliath Mountains. Though modest in height, its position overlooking the Strathspey floor provides an excellent perspective on the winding River Spey and the sprawling waters of Loch Insh below.
Key Statistics
Rank
302nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
Data coming soon
Prominence
?
24
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
You are walking across the Dava Subgroup. This foundation is made of sand and mud that has been compressed into tough, banded rock.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH830365
Latitude
57.4045°N
Longitude
3.9485°W
Did You Know?
- •The name combines the Gaelic Càrn, meaning a stony hill, with Ceann na Creige, translated as 'head of the rock,' referring to the craggy knoll that sits directly above the village.
- •The summit offers a front-row seat to the Cairngorm giants across the glen, specifically the great bulk of Braeriach and the plunging cliffs of Sgòr Gaoith.
- •Situated at the southeastern fringe of the Monadhliath range, it acts as a topographical transition between the lush valley floor of the Spey and the high, peat-scarred moors to the west.
- •The lower slopes are home to a mix of commercial plantation and native birchwood that provides a significant habitat for the local red squirrel population.
- •While often dismissed as a 'short walk' by locals, the sheer density of the heather ensures that anyone attempting a direct off-path ascent will arrive at the summit with a newfound respect for Highland scrub.