Craigie Thieves

Rising from the heather-clad slopes of the Mounth near Braemar, this modest summit provides a tranquil alternative to the busier neighbouring Munros. Classified as a Hump, its position offers a fine, uncrowded perspective of the winding River Dee and the massive granite cliffs of Lochnagar to the south.

• •The name combines the Gaelic 'creagach' (rocky) with a nod to the area's history of cattle reiving, where such hills served as lookouts or landmarks for outlaws moving stolen livestock through the glens.
• •Standing as a satellite to the Lochnagar massif, the hill overlooks the Gelder Shiel, a traditional stone bothy frequently used as a resting spot by the Royal Family during their stays at nearby Balmoral.
• •The summit offers an uncrowded view of the impressive north-facing corries of Lochnagar—specifically the peak of Cac Carn Beag—as well as a clear look down the length of the Dee Valley toward the plateaus of Beinn a' Bhuird.
• •While the name suggests a den of iniquity, the most criminal thing you are likely to encounter here is the depth of the heather during an off-path ascent.