Scotland
Carn Fraoich
765M
2511FT
About Carn Fraoich
Rising above the Spey Valley near Newtonmore, this broad, heather-clad Tump embodies the wild, rolling character of the Monadhliath. Often overlooked for neighbouring Munros, its peat-scarred slopes offer a quiet alternative, rewarding those who navigate its pathless terrain with expansive views across the strath to the high Cairngorm giants.
Key Statistics
Rank
126th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Grampians
Prominence
?
37.5m
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
You are walking on granite-like rock that contains large, trapped blocks of hardened sandstone within its structure.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH555012
Latitude
57.0791°N
Longitude
4.3856°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Càrn Fraoich translates from Scottish Gaelic as the 'Cairn of Heather,' an apt description for a summit dominated by vast tracts of ling and bell heather that turn the hillside deep purple in late summer.
- •While frequently bypassed by walkers heading directly for the Munro of Càrn Sgulain, this hill serves as a prominent eastern sentinel for the Monadhliath plateau, providing a rugged, pathless approach from the Allt a' Chaorainn.
- •From the summit, the view southeast is dominated by the massive bulk of the Cairngorm range across the Spey, with the distinctive notched profile of the Lairig Ghru clearly visible between the giants of Braeriach and Ben Macdui.
- •It is a hill that demands respect for your footwear choice; what appears to be a solid green line on a map is frequently a masterclass in the varied, soggy consistencies of Scottish peat hags.