Scotland
Carn na h-Ailig
637M
2090FT
About Carn na h-Ailig
Sitting within the rolling moorlands of the Glenlivet Estate near Tomintoul, this heather-clad Tump offers a quiet escape from the busier Cairngorm peaks. The ascent is largely pathless through typical highland scrub, rewarding walkers with a clear, unobstructed perspective over the nearby Hills of Cromdale and the distant Ben Rinnes.
Key Statistics
Rank
172nd Highest in The Cairngorms
Parent Range
The Cairngorms
Prominence
?
68m
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
You are walking on a foundation of hard, compressed sandstones. These tough rocks, known as quartzite and psammite, provide the sturdy base for this rugged fell.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NJ073139
Latitude
57.2065°N
Longitude
3.5362°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic Càrn na h-Ailig, which translates to 'Cairn of the Small Rock', likely referencing the stony character of its upper slopes compared to the surrounding peat moors.
- •From the summit, walkers are rewarded with a direct view across the Avon valley towards the long, dark ridge of the Hills of Cromdale and the prominent granite tor of Ben Rinnes to the northeast.
- •The hill is located on the Glenlivet Estate, a landscape once famous for illicit whisky distilling, where the many deep-cut burns provided concealment for smugglers and their hidden stills.
- •With no formal path to the top, the hill serves as a practical test of navigation through thick heather, usually shared only with red grouse and the occasional mountain hare.