Scotland
Creag a' Mhaim
946M
3104FT
About Creag a' Mhaim
Serving as the eastern gateway to the South Glen Shiel Ridge, this Munro is characterized by its steep, stony slopes and an excellent stalkers' path. It is the traditional starting point for a long day of bagging, offering a grandstand view over Loch Cluanie towards the bulky peaks of the North Shiel ridge.
Key Statistics
Rank
31st Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Grampians
Prominence
?
79.6m
Nearest Town
Fort Augustus
Geology
You’re walking on ancient sandy and clay-rich rocks hardened by heat. These are cut by dark, crystalline rocks that once forced their way through as hot magma.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH087077
Latitude
57.1203°N
Longitude
5.1615°W
Did You Know?
- •The name translates from Scottish Gaelic as 'Crag of the Pass' or 'Crag of the Rounded Hill', derived from mām, a term often used in the Highlands to describe a large, breast-shaped hill or a high mountain pass.
- •The ascent is notably efficient thanks to a finely engineered Victorian stalkers' path that zig-zags up the eastern shoulder, originally designed to provide an even gradient for ponies and shooting parties.
- •From the summit, the view west reveals the undulating backbone of the South Glen Shiel Ridge, a high-level crest that connects this peak to six other Munros in a single, continuous traverse.
- •Looking north across the glen, walkers can identify the prominent peaks of the 'Brothers of Kintail' and the distant, sharper profiles of the 'Five Sisters', showcasing the dramatic, steep-sided topography of the region.
- •While it is technically a separate mountain, most walkers treat this summit as merely the opening chapter of a very long day; the real challenge isn't reaching this peak, but maintaining the enthusiasm to reach the seventh one.