Scotland
Meallan Odhar
814M
2672FT
About Meallan Odhar
Overlooking the A93 at the Glenshee Ski Centre, this rounded heathery dome serves as a high-altitude gateway to the Mounth plateaus. While its western flanks are heavily modified by ski infrastructure and access tracks, the summit provides a sudden, dramatic transition into the wild, undisturbed scenery of the Caenlochan Glen.
Key Statistics
Rank
90th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Grampians
Prominence
?
38.3m
Nearest Town
Pubil
Geology
You are walking on Ben Lawers Schist, a lime-rich rock formed from ancient, compressed mud. This foundation shapes the terrain of Meallan Odhar.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NN471448
Latitude
56.5704°N
Longitude
4.4888°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Meallan Odhar is Gaelic for 'little dun-coloured hill' or 'small sallow hill,' describing the muted, brownish tones of the parched grasses and heather that cover its upper slopes.
- •The hill is a central hub for the Glenshee Ski Centre; the Meallan Odhar poma and t-bar lifts are essential for transporting skiers from the roadside up toward the higher snowfields of Glas Maol.
- •The eastern slopes drop away into the Caenlochan National Nature Reserve, a site of international importance for rare arctic-alpine flora and a frequent gathering point for large herds of red deer.
- •From the summit cairn, there is a clear, contrasting view between the industrialised ski terrain to the west and the vast, empty expanse of the Angus Glens stretching out to the southeast.
- •It remains a rare example of a Scottish summit where the primary navigational challenge isn't the mist or the crags, but remembering which gravel Land Rover track leads back to the correct car park.
