Creag Choinnich

About Creag Choinnich

Rising steeply through dense pine forest above the village of Braemar, this small but characterful hill offers an exceptional return for a modest climb. Its rocky summit provides a grandstand view over the rooftops of Braemar toward the high Cairngorm plateau and the winding River Dee.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is Gaelic for 'Kenneth’s Crag,' believed to be named after the 9th-century King Kenneth MacAlpin, who is said to have used the hill’s vantage point while hunting in the surrounding forests.
• •It is the site of what is often cited as the oldest organized hill race in the world; in the 11th century, King Malcolm Canmore reportedly staged a race to the summit to find the fastest runner to serve as his royal messenger.
• •The hill remains a focal point of the modern Braemar Gathering, though the race was actually banned for several decades in the 20th century to protect the fragile woodland environment before eventually being reinstated.
• •From the summit cairn, the view offers an unparalleled perspective on the sprawling Invercauld Estate and the 'Lion’s Face' rock formation, with the massive tops of Beinn a' Bhuird and Ben Avon dominating the northern horizon.
• •Despite its modest stature as a Hump and a Tump, the climb is unapologetically vertical from the start; if you reach the top without your calves protesting, you are either a local athlete or you have accidentally taken the long way around.