Scotland
Meall an t-Slugain
847M
2779FT
About Meall an t-Slugain
Rising above the narrow pass of the Callater Burn near Braemar, this broad, heathery shoulder offers an expansive perspective on the eastern Cairngorms. Often bypassed for the Munros of the White Mounth, it provides a quieter vantage point over the winding Glen Clunie and the rugged northern slopes of Carn an Tuirc.
Key Statistics
Rank
54th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Lochaber
Prominence
?
115.5m
Nearest Town
Auchallater
Geology
You are walking on granite from the Lochnagar mass. This rock formed deep underground from a large pool of slowly cooling molten rock.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NO184863
Latitude
56.9607°N
Longitude
3.3435°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Gaelic, where 'Meall' means a rounded hill and 'an t-Slugain' refers to a gullet or gorge. This describes the 'slugan'—the narrow, funnel-like section of the valley through which the Callater Burn flows at the hill's western foot.
- •The hill overlooks the route taken by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert during their final excursion together on 16 October 1861, shortly before Albert’s death; they travelled through neighbouring Glen Clunie to admire the scenery of Glen Callater.
- •From the summit, walkers gain a particularly clear view of the A93 road snaking through the floor of Glen Clunie, contrasted against the massive, steep-sided bulk of An Socach to the west.
- •Though classified as a Hump, it is most frequently visited as a northern extension for those descending from the Munro plateau of Carn an Tuirc, rather than as a standalone objective.
- •While its name translates to 'Hill of the Gullet,' the ascent is less of a swallow and more of a slow chew through some of the thickest heather in the Deeside area.