Scotland
Craig of Gowal
927M
3041FT
About Craig of Gowal
Rising above the head of Glen Isla, this Munro Top is a vital stop on a circuit of the Caenlochan Glen. It offers a rugged, windswept character typical of the Angus Mounth, providing a superb platform to view the dramatic, precipitous drop into the glacial bowl of the Caenlochan National Nature Reserve.
Key Statistics
Rank
31st Highest in Region
Parent Range
Lochaber
Prominence
?
23.1m
Nearest Town
Acharn
Geology
You are walking on mica-flecked granite and layered, heat-hardened stone. These crystalline rocks were forged deep underground to create the rugged foundation beneath your boots.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NO231809
Latitude
56.9130°N
Longitude
3.2646°W
Did You Know?
- •The name originates from the Gaelic 'Creag nan Gobhal', meaning 'Crag of the Forks'. This refers to the way the high ground splits into the distinct, branching ridges that define the head of Glen Isla.
- •Though it is a Munro Top of the higher Glas Maol, it serves as a primary vantage point for looking across the deep cleft of the Caenlochan Forest towards the long, narrow ridge of Monega Hill.
- •The surrounding plateau is part of a National Nature Reserve, protected for its rare arctic-alpine flora that thrives in the lime-rich rocks of the steep corrie faces just below the summit.
- •In heavy mist, the trek across the high ground from the main Munro of Glas Maol becomes a testing exercise in micro-navigation, where one peat hag looks remarkably like every other peat hag.