Creag Ealraich

Rising above the Spey Valley, this rounded Grampian summit offers a quiet vantage point over Strathspey. The terrain is largely heather-clad moorland, providing a straightforward but rewarding ascent for those seeking a grand perspective of the high Cairngorm plateaus and the Lairig Ghru without the crowds of the bigger peaks.

• •The name stems from the Scottish Gaelic 'Creag', meaning crag or rock, while 'Ealraich' likely shares an etymological root with the nearby parish of Alvie, historically associated with the local Dunachton estate lands.
• •The summit provides a clear, framed view of the Lairig Ghru, the famous V-shaped glacial pass that carves between the massive granite bulks of Braeriach and Ben Macdui.
• •Looking south, the hill offers a distinct bird's-eye view of the River Spey as it broadens into the shimmering waters of Loch Insh.
• •The ascent is a masterclass in 'Monadhliath Miles'—a local unit of measurement where the distance covered feels significantly longer due to the depth of the heather and the occasional hidden peat hag.