Scotland
Little Conval
553M
1814FT
About Little Conval
Rising above the malt whisky capital of Dufftown, this rounded Moray Marilyn offers a steady, heathery climb. While often overlooked for its larger neighbour, Ben Rinnes, the summit provides a clear perspective of the Spey Valley and the distinctive profiles of the Cairngorm peaks to the south.
Key Statistics
Rank
81st Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Isle of Skye
Prominence
?
165m
Nearest Town
Edinville
Geology
Little Conval is formed from various types of granite. These range from fine, layered stones to speckled rocks containing large, distinct crystals.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NJ294392
Latitude
57.4381°N
Longitude
3.1774°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Conval likely stems from the Gaelic Coinneal, meaning candle, which may refer to historical signal fires or the specific way light catches the heathery slopes.
- •The summit plateau is marked by the remains of an Iron Age hillfort, featuring a collapsed stone rampart that once provided a strategic lookout over the Dullan Water.
- •It is most often climbed in tandem with Meikle Conval, with the two hills forming a distinctive double-humped silhouette when viewed from the north.
- •From the summit cairn, the view to the north-east looks directly down onto the 'Seven Stills of Dufftown', where the pagoda roofs of famous distilleries like Glenfiddich are easily spotted.
- •In a quirk of topographic classification, Little Conval is high enough and sufficiently isolated to be a Marilyn, whereas its taller neighbour Meikle Conval misses out on the title due to a lack of relative prominence.
