Carn nan Sgliat

About Carn nan Sgliat

A cheeky little nubbin overlooking Braemar, Carn nan Sgliat offers an executive suite view of the high Cairngorms without the soul-crushing walk-in. Its name means 'Cairn of the Slates,' referencing the stony summit, but it's mostly a glorious vantage point for judging hikers who started much earlier than you.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name translates from Gaelic as the 'Cairn of the Slates.' While you won't find enough stone to reroof your house, the summit is peppered with flat, metamorphic debris that makes for a distinctive, crunchy final ascent.
• •The hill sits on the Invercauld Estate, historically the seat of the Farquharson clan. It is part of a classic local circuit that often includes the 'Lion’s Face' rock formation, a stony feline staring across the River Dee.
• •Standing at 690m, it falls just short of the 762m required for Corbett status. This makes it a sanctuary for hikers who value their knees and a lie-in more than they value official list-ticking glory.
• •The summit provides a spectacular panoramic window into the high Cairngorms. It is the ideal spot to sip a flask and watch the weather move over Ben Macdui, safely distant from the actual suffering occurring over there.
• •The lower paths are suspiciously well-maintained, but the upper reaches involve a classic 'choose your own adventure' through the heather. If you aren't currently tripping over a hidden root or losing a boot to a boggy patch, you’ve probably wandered onto someone's private driveway.