Scotland
Cnoc Fraing South Top
652M
2138FT
About Cnoc Fraing South Top
Tucked away in the northern Monadhliath near Aviemore, this Tump offers a quiet, heather-clad alternative to the busier Cairngorm peaks. Standing just south of the main summit, it provides a rugged, peat-heavy walk with expansive views across Strathspey toward the granite plateaus of Bynack More and Cairn Gorm.
Key Statistics
Rank
212th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Grampians
Prominence
?
38.7m
Nearest Town
Alvie
Geology
The ground here is made of hard granite containing dark mica. It formed from cooling magma deep within the Monadhliath range to create this rugged mountain landscape.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH807131
Latitude
57.1931°N
Longitude
3.9758°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Cnoc', meaning hill, and 'Fraing', which translates to 'of France' or 'Frenchman', though the reason for this Gallic association in the heart of the Highlands remains a local mystery.
- •The South Top is only fractionally lower than its parent peak, Cnoc Fraing, with less than a metre of height and a shallow, mossy col separating the two high points.
- •From the summit, you can look down onto the Slochd Mòr, the 'Great Hollow', a vital transport corridor where the A9 and the Highland Main Line railway squeeze through a narrow gap in the hills.
- •Navigating the plateau between the summits provides an excellent opportunity to test exactly how waterproof your gaiters are against the local peat hags.