Carn Oighreag

About Carn Oighreag

Sitting quietly above the Braes of Glenlivet near Tomintoul, this rounded moorland summit offers a gentler alternative to the high Cairngorm plateaus. Reached via the expansive tracks of the Glenlivet Estate, the top provides a superb, clear vantage point across to the tor-studded ridge of Ben Avon and the bulky mass of Ben Macdui.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Càrn Oighreag translates from Scottish Gaelic as the 'Cairn of the Cloudberries.' The cloudberry is a hardy mountain fruit that thrives in the acidic, peat-rich soils found across these northern slopes, ripening to a distinctive amber colour in late summer.
• •From the summit, the view to the south is dominated by the sprawling plateau of Ben Avon, while looking north-west, the eye follows the sweep of the Spey Valley towards the distant, pointed peak of Ben Rinnes.
• •The hill is frequently climbed as part of a circular route from the distillery at Braeval, following well-maintained estate tracks that cross the Livet Water before ascending through managed grouse moors.
• •The surrounding glens were historically hotspots for the illicit whisky trade; many hidden hollows in the folds of these hills once sheltered 'sma' stills' used to produce spirit far from the reach of government excisemen.
• •While the name promises a bounty of cloudberries, you are significantly more likely to encounter a face full of persistent midges or a startled red grouse than a feast of fruit during a summer ascent.