Scotland
Carn na Farraidh
686M
2252FT
About Carn na Farraidh
Tucked away near Tomintoul in the northern reaches of the Cairngorms, this rounded, heathery Hump offers a quiet alternative to the busier high peaks. The climb rewards walkers with a clear perspective of the massive granite tors on Ben Avon and the rolling profiles of the nearby Ladder Hills.
Key Statistics
Rank
154th Highest in The Cairngorms
Parent Range
The Cairngorms
Prominence
?
143.7m
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
You are walking across the Delnabo Conglomerate Formation. This foundation is made of alternating layers of naturally cemented pebbles and solid sandstone.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NJ114147
Latitude
57.2145°N
Longitude
3.4686°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Càrn na Farraidh', which is generally translated as the 'Hill of the Questioning' or 'Inquiry', though in local landscape terms, it may also relate to a shelf or ladder-like ridge.
- •The hill sits within the Braes of Glenlivet, a region historically notorious for illicit whisky distilling where the remote, undulating moorland provided ideal cover for smugglers hiding from the excise men.
- •Unlike the central Cairngorm peaks formed from a single massive granite pluton, this hill is composed of much older Dalradian metamorphic rocks, originally deposited as seabed sediments over 600 million years ago.
- •The summit offers a commanding view of the Forest of Glenavon and the distinctive 'Barns' of Ben Avon—giant granite tors that appear like ruins against the skyline to the south.
- •While its classification as a Hump is technically accurate, the dense heather and frequent peat hags underfoot ensure the ascent feels considerably more strenuous than the modest elevation suggests.