Meikle Pap

About Meikle Pap

Meikle Pap is the pointy, granite sentinel guarding the approach to Lochnagar’s magnificent north-facing corrie. While technically just a 'top,' it offers the most dramatic front-row seat to the mountain's vertical cliffs, proving that height isn't everything when it comes to impressive scenery and wind-blasted ears.

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Did You Know?

• •Geologically, Meikle Pap is formed from the same unyielding pink Cairngorm granite that characterizes the Lochnagar massif. It stands as a prominent outlier on the eastern edge of the great corrie, carved by ancient glacial action.
• •The name is a charmingly literal Scots translation for 'Big Breast,' which makes its proximity to 'Little Pap' rather predictable. It’s part of a grand Scottish tradition of naming hills after anatomical features that would make a Victorian schoolboy giggle.
• •It is classified as a Munro Top rather than a full Munro, meaning it lacks the necessary topographic prominence to be a stand-alone mountain. However, many seasoned hikers find the view from this vantage point far superior to the actual summit of Lochnagar.
• •The fell lies within the Balmoral Estate, meaning the Royal Family are technically your landlords for the duration of your hike. It is polite to keep the noise down, just in case a stray monarch is out for a brisk morning stroll nearby.
• •Reaching the summit usually involves a short, steep scree scramble that feels specifically designed to fill your boots with small, sharp rocks. Once you arrive, the wind is typically strong enough to give you a free, albeit aggressive, facial exfoliation.