Scotland
Meall a' Chaorainn Mor
892M
2928FT
About Meall a' Chaorainn Mor
Rising above the head of Glen Tarff, this substantial Monadhliath summit offers a sense of profound isolation. A broad, heather-clad dome characteristic of these rolling highlands, it provides an expansive vantage point over the Corrieyairack Pass and across the Great Glen toward the rugged peaks of the Kintail forest.
Key Statistics
Rank
33rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Grampians
Prominence
?
48.5m
Nearest Town
Kinloch Laggan
Geology
You are walking on ancient sandy and muddy rocks that were squeezed into hard, shimmering layers. These durable materials form the rugged foundation beneath your boots.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NN483923
Latitude
56.9969°N
Longitude
4.4989°W
Did You Know?
- •Derived from the Scottish Gaelic Meall a' Chaorainn Mhòr, the name translates as the 'Big Hill of the Peat Moor,' describing the high-altitude plateau landscape where vast stretches of peat and heather define the terrain.
- •The hill overlooks the Corrieyairack Pass to the south, a route famously used by Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite army in 1745 to bypass government forces during their march toward the Lowlands.
- •The summit panorama includes a clear sightline down the length of the Great Glen, with the northern end of Loch Ness visible to the northwest and the sharp peaks of the Affric hills on the distant horizon.
- •Reaching this summit usually requires a long approach from the south via the historic Wade road or from the Great Glen, often involving a crossing of the damp, trackless ground of the Mòine Mhòr.
- •The 'Mhor' in the name distinguishes it from its smaller neighbour, Meall a' Chaorainn Beag, though in these boggy conditions, 'Big' often just signifies a longer trek through the peat hags.