Creag an Lochain

About Creag an Lochain

Overlooking the deep waters of Loch na Lairige, this rocky Grampian height offers a quieter, more intimate alternative to the busy Ben Lawers massif. The terrain is rugged heather and broken ground, leading to a summit trig pillar with an exceptional, close-up perspective of the dramatic Meall nan Tarmachan ridge.

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Did You Know?

• •Derived from the Gaelic Creag an Lochain, the name translates as the ‘crag of the little loch’. This refers to its position above Loch na Lairige, which was significantly enlarged by the construction of a massive buttress dam in the 1950s.
• •Because the public road through the pass reaches an elevation of 450 metres, this is one of the most accessible summits of its height in the region, requiring barely 200 metres of actual climbing from the roadside.
• •The summit provides a grandstand view of the Tarmachan Spidean, allowing walkers to trace the entire narrow ridge route from a distance without having to deal with the exposure themselves.
• •While the western slopes are steep and craggy, the eastern side of the hill levels out into a high, desolate moorland plateau that separates the Lawers range from the lower ground of Glen Lyon.
• •It serves as an excellent litmus test for hillwalkers; if you find the short pull up from the car park exhausting, the neighbouring seven-Munro circuit of Ben Lawers is likely a conversation for another year.