Scotland
Cruban Beag
590M
1936FT
About Cruban Beag
Overlooking the upper Spey Valley, this accessible Marilyn offers a short, punchy ascent from the A9 near Newtonmore. Its squat, rounded profile belies the expansive perspective from the summit, where the sprawling Monadhliath plateaus meet the dramatic western edges of the Cairngorms and the distant peaks of the Gaick Forest.
Key Statistics
Rank
140th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Lochaber
Prominence
?
216m
Nearest Town
Crubenbeg
Geology
You are walking across the Loch Laggan Psammite, a tough, sandy rock filled with tiny, shimmering flakes of mica.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NN668924
Latitude
57.0035°N
Longitude
4.1947°W
Did You Know?
- •The name derives from the Gaelic 'crùban', meaning a crouching or squatting shape, which accurately describes the hill's hunched profile when viewed from the valley floor.
- •Despite its modest height, the summit offers an exceptional vantage point for observing the 'Pass of Drumochter' and the massive bulk of the Cairngorms, specifically the high plateau of Braeriach and the jagged profile of Sgor Gaoith.
- •It is frequently paired with its larger neighbour, Cruban Mòr, to create a circular walk that explores the transition between the Spey grasslands and the rugged Monadhliath moorland.
- •The hill’s proximity to the A9 makes it one of the fastest Marilyns to summit in the region, offering a high reward-to-effort ratio for those looking to stretch their legs during a long drive north.