Hill of Cat

Rising from the remote peaty plateaus of the Mounth, this rounded heathery dome offers a sense of profound isolation. Reached via the long glens south of Aboyne, its summit provides a sprawling perspective over the deep forests of Glen Tanar and the starker, high-altitude wilderness toward the massive bulk of Mount Keen.

• •The name is a translation of the Gaelic 'Monadh nan Cat', meaning 'Moor of the Cats'. This refers to the European wildcat, which historically favoured the remote, rocky dens found in the heather-clad slopes of the Eastern Grampians.
• •The hill sits on the traditional boundary between Aberdeenshire and Angus, and for centuries it has served as a landmark for those using the ancient 'Mounth' roads—high-level passes used by drovers and travellers to cross from Glen Esk to the Dee Valley.
• •From the summit trig pillar, the view south is dominated by the deep trench of Glen Esk and the plateau of the White Mounth, while to the north, the ancient Scots pines of the Glen Tanar National Nature Reserve are clearly visible.
• •Reaching the top usually involves navigating some of the most determined peat hags in the region; it is a hill that rewards those who do not mind their boots returning several shades darker than when they set out.