Meall an Araich

Situated on the expansive, peat-scarred plateau between Glen Clova and Glen Muick, this remote Grampian summit offers a true sense of isolation. Characterised by rolling heather and tricky navigation in mist, it serves as a quiet alternative to the busier Munro circuits around Lochnagar and the White Mounth.

• •Derived from the Scottish Gaelic Meall an Àraich, the name most likely translates as the 'hill of the rearing', suggesting these high slopes were once used as seasonal grazing grounds for cattle.
• •The summit sits near the Capel Mounth, one of the historic 'Mounth' roads used for centuries by drovers and travellers moving between the Angus Glens and Royal Deeside.
• •The view north from the top is dominated by the sprawling granite mass of Lochnagar, while the distinctive cone of Mount Keen is clearly visible to the east across the head of Glen Mark.
• •Navigating the surrounding plateau requires a keen eye; the terrain is a classic Grampian mix of deep heather and peat hags that can swallow a trekking pole whole.