Cnoc an Tiumpain

Rising above the Spey Valley north of Kingussie, this broad, heather-clad dome offers a quiet alternative to the busier Cairngorm peaks. The ascent through Glen Gynack reveals a rolling landscape typical of the Monadhliath. From the summit, you can look across the strath to the high, scarred cliffs of the northern Cairngorms.

• •The name is Gaelic, where 'Cnoc' means hill and 'an Tiumpain' translates to 'of the drum' or a drum-shaped hill, describing its rounded profile.
• •It is often climbed as a southern extension to a route taking in the Munro A’ Chailleach, which sits roughly three kilometres to the north-west.
• •The summit cairn offers a clear view of the sprawling Cairngorm plateau across the Spey, including the prominent northern corries of Braeriach and the Lairig Ghru pass.
• •Walking here requires an appetite for peat hags and damp moss, as the high plateau of the Monadhliath is famously effective at holding onto rainwater regardless of the season.