Creag Leacach

Creag Leacach is a Munro standing eleven kilometres south of Braemar in the Grampian Mountains. Its Gaelic name means ‘slate rock’ or ‘flat rock’, and it marks the boundary between Perth and Kinross and Angus. The mountain rises above the Gleann Beag glen south of the Cairnwell Pass, where the A93 once curved sharply round the Devil’s Elbow. A long stone wall runs along the narrow summit ridge, which is the southern continuation of the Glas Maol ridge, separated only by the Cùl Riabhach col. Steep crags drop away on both sides into Gleann Beag and Glen Brighty, while the ridge turns west to a lower top at 943 metres before descending to lower hills. The mountain is reached most easily from the Cairnwell Pass and the Glenshee Ski Centre. Walkers often climb it together with the three other Munros east of the pass, following the ski lifts and snow fences to Meall Odhar and then crossing to the Glas Maol plateau. The connecting ridge leads to Creag Leacach’s summit. Another route starts from a lay-by on the A93 south of the pass and ascends via the south-west top. A longer but quieter approach begins in Glen Isla at the hamlet of Auchavan, where paths allow loops that include Glas Maol or Monamenach. The summit ridge offers wide views across the Cairnwell Pass and the surrounding corries. On clear days the Cairngorms and Lochnagar appear in the north-east. The stone wall along the crest shows the old county boundary, and the steep northern face drops sharply to the glen below. The contrast between the ski area’s fences and the wild summit is striking, yet many Munro-baggers combine the peaks in one outing. The south-west top provides a quieter viewpoint before the final climb to the main summit.