Creag a' Chalamain

About Creag a' Chalamain

Guarding the northern gate to the Chalamain Gap, this 786m peak offers a spectacular grandstand view of the Lairig Ghru. It’s the perfect spot to watch hikers below struggle through the boulders while you enjoy the wind-chill and superior vantage point.

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Did You Know?

• •The name translates from Gaelic as 'Crag of the Pigeon,' though you are significantly more likely to encounter a ptarmigan or a confused hill-runner than any domestic bird up here.
• •Its position provides a perfect cross-section view of the Lairig Ghru, the most famous mountain pass in Scotland, carved by ancient glaciers and centuries of cattle drovers.
• •The hill is composed of the classic pink Cairngorm granite, which is incredibly durable but becomes surprisingly slick and treacherous the moment it senses a single drop of Scottish rain.
• •The summit plateau is often overlooked by baggers rushing towards the bigger peaks, making it a rare sanctuary of peace in an otherwise very busy corner of the National Park.
• •Choosing to summit this instead of taking the Chalamain Gap bypass is a bold move that replaces a boulder-hopping ankle-snapping session with a steep climb that ensures your knees never speak to you again.