Leathad an Taobhain

Tucked away in the remote heart of the Gaick Forest, this sprawling Grampian giant offers a true sense of isolation. Falling just three metres short of Munro status, its broad, heather-clad slopes provide a high-altitude wilderness experience with commanding views across the deep trough of Glen Feshie towards the western Cairngorm giants.

• •The name is Gaelic, where 'Leathad' means a slope or hillside and 'Taobhain' refers to a rafter or purlin. This likely describes the long, straight architectural lines of the hill’s broad southern shoulder.
• •Standing at 911.7 metres, it is one of Scotland's most significant 'near-miss' Munros, falling less than three metres short of the 3,000ft mark required for the higher classification.
• •The summit provides an exceptional vantage point for observing the transition between landscapes, looking over the vast, empty plateau of the Moine Mhòr towards the jagged, 400-metre cliffs of Sgor Gaoith.
• •Reaching this Corbett usually requires a lengthy approach from either Glen Feshie or the Gaick Pass, making it one of the more remote and quiet summits in the Kingussie hinterland.
• •At 2,991 feet, it is a hill that inspires a sudden, intense interest in the exact science of GPS calibration and the hope that a particularly thick patch of moss might count towards the total height.