Scotland
Craiglich
476M
1562FT
About Craiglich
Rising above the Howe of Cromar near Aboyne, this accessible Marilyn offers a steady ascent through a mix of forestry and heather. The summit provides a grandstand view of the granite dome of Morven and the distant, rugged profile of the Lochnagar massif across the Dee Valley.
Key Statistics
Rank
150th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Isle of Skye
Prominence
?
167m
Nearest Town
Aboyne
Geology
The ground beneath you is solid granite from the Cromar Pluton. This rock formed from molten material that cooled deep within the Earth’s crust.
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NJ533054
Latitude
57.1374°N
Longitude
2.7731°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'Creag', meaning crag, and likely 'leac', meaning a flat stone or slab, describing the stony character of the ground overlooking the valley below.
- •Its summit offers a clear aerial perspective of the Neolithic and Bronze Age landscape of the Howe of Cromar, including the prominent recumbent stone circle at Tomnaverie.
- •The hill is frequently climbed as part of a circular walk starting from the 'Queen's View' on the B9119, a viewpoint named for Queen Victoria’s fondness for this particular vista of Aberdeenshire.
- •While modest in height, its status as a Marilyn ensures enough prominence to offer views stretching as far as the North Sea on a particularly clear day.
- •The lower slopes are home to a thriving population of red squirrels, which are often easier to spot in the local pine stands than the summit cairn is in a thick Highland mist.