Cruys

Rising on the high, stony plateau south of Ballater, this rounded Tump serves as a significant shoulder to the Munro, Broad Cairn. It offers a wild, expansive perspective over the head of Glen Muick and the dark waters of Dubh Loch, characterized by exposed, heathery terrain typical of the Mounth.

• •The name is thought to derive from the Gaelic 'cruaidh', meaning hard or firm, referring to the stony nature of the high-altitude ground found here.
• •From the summit, walkers gain a spectacular view across the deep trough containing Dubh Loch, with the jagged cliffs of Eagle Rocks and the sprawling mass of Lochnagar visible to the north.
• •Cruys is frequently visited as part of a high-level circuit from the Spittal of Glen Muick, standing on the edge of the vast granite plateau that separates Deeside from the Angus Glens.
• •At 740 metres high, it would be a major landmark in many parts of the UK, yet here it is often reduced to a simple 'top' to be ticked off while en route to its loftier neighbour, Broad Cairn.