An Socach East Top

Sitting on the expansive, whale-backed ridge of An Socach, this Munro Top offers a sense of vast space above Glen Ey. The terrain is stony and heathery, typical of the Cairngorms' southern fringe. It serves as a breezy waypoint for those traversing the long summit plateau from the Baddoch.

• •The name An Socach is derived from the Gaelic 'soc', meaning a snout or beak. This refers to the hill's prominent, tapering ridge profile that projects out into the surrounding glens.
• •For years, there was debate among map-makers and hillwalkers as to which end of the ridge was higher; while this eastern top is substantial, the true Munro summit lies nearly two kilometres to the west and is roughly six metres taller.
• •From the summit cairn, you get a particularly clear perspective looking north-west into the remote upper reaches of Glen Ey, with the sprawling, bulky mass of Beinn Iutharn Mhòr dominating the skyline.
• •The approach from the north passes through the ruins of Auchelie in Glen Ey, a poignant reminder of the small communities that lived in these high valleys before the Highland Clearances.
• •The plateau is so broad and featureless that in a thick mist, the small summit cairn is less of a landmark and more of a reassurance that you haven't accidentally wandered into the next parish.