Cairn of Gowal South Top

Cairn of Gowal South Top is a sprawling, high-altitude hump on the Lochnagar massif. At 983m, it’s a Munro Top that offers superb views of the Mounth, provided you aren't currently chest-deep in a peat hag or distracted by the nearby 1956 Canberra jet wreckage.

• •Part of the expansive Lochnagar massif, this 983m summit is classified as a Munro Top rather than a full Munro due to its lack of topographic prominence.
• •The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Gobhal', meaning 'fork', which likely refers to the split in the burns feeding into the Callater Forest below.
• •This area is a noted habitat for the dotterel, a rare mountain bird that remarkably migrates all the way from North Africa to breed on these high, stony plateaus.
• •It stands higher than many famous 'full' Munros, yet it is relegated to 'Top' status, essentially making it the over-qualified middle manager of the Scottish Highlands.
• •Attempting to locate the exact summit in a 'wee bit of mist' usually results in a lengthy, unsolicited tour of every identical-looking peat hag in the Grampians.