Fraoch-bheinn

Overlooking the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, this rugged, heathery peak offers a quieter alternative to the busier Munros nearby. The climb from the station is steep but rewarding, revealing a summit ridge with commanding views over the deep trench of Loch Shiel and the jagged horizons of the Rough Bounds.

• •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'fraoch', meaning heather, and 'beinn', an honest reflection of the thick, scrubby vegetation that blankets its lower slopes.
• •This hill is botanically unique as the only known site in the British Isles for Diapensia lapponica, a rare Arctic pincushion plant first discovered on these slopes in 1951.
• •The summit provides an exceptional vantage point for studying the local topography, particularly the neighbouring peaks of Streap and Sgùrr Thuilm across the deep trough of Glen Finnan.
• •Walkers often approach from the south via the Allt an Utha track, creating a circular route that links Fraoch-bheinn with its slightly higher neighbour, Sgùrr an Utha.
• •Given its name translates simply as 'Heather Hill', any walker attempting a direct line through the trackless lower sections will find the original Gaelic namers were being more descriptive than poetic.