Cairnlea Hill

Hill, Mountain in Aberdeenshire

Scotland

Cairnlea Hill

Clach Choutsaich From some distance away, on the track in. — Clach Choutsaich Credit: Peter Aikman

Cairnlea Hill is a prominent hill located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Standing at an elevation of approximately 426 meters (1,397 feet), it is nestled within the picturesque landscape of the Scottish Highlands. The hill is situated near the village of Tarland and lies within the Cairngorms National Park, renowned for its stunning natural beauty and rich biodiversity.

Cairnlea Hill is characterized by its distinctive shape, featuring a rounded summit and gentle slopes covered in heather and grass. Its geological composition consists mainly of granite, a common feature of the region. The hill provides excellent panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, offering visitors a breathtaking vista of rolling hills, dense forestry, and the meandering River Dee.

Access to Cairnlea Hill is relatively straightforward, with various footpaths and trails leading to the summit. Hikers and nature enthusiasts frequent the area, drawn by its tranquil ambiance and the opportunity to explore the diverse flora and fauna that inhabit the hillside. The hill is home to an array of wildlife, including red grouse, roe deer, and various bird species.

Cairnlea Hill also holds historical significance, with several archaeological sites in its vicinity. These include ancient burial cairns and stone circles, providing a glimpse into the area's past and the lives of its early inhabitants.

Overall, Cairnlea Hill offers a captivating and immersive experience for those who venture to its peak, showcasing the rugged charm and natural splendor that Aberdeenshire has to offer.

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Cairnlea Hill Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 57.15715/-3.1445692 or Grid Reference NJ3007. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Clach Choutsaich

From some distance away, on the track in.

Peter Aikman

Clach Choutsaich from the west

With frost-shattered scree below it.

Peter Aikman

Clach Choutsaich from the east

In the middle distance left is Carn Leac Saighdeir, and in the far distance you can just see Ben Avon with its tors. One of these is another Clach Choutsaich.

Peter Aikman

A944, Strathdon

Just east of the junction with the A939. This is quite high up, yet there are still some arable fields amongst the moors and woods.

Richard Webb

Haugh Land in Strathdon

A haugh is an area of flat land beside a river, the equivalent of a flood plain or water meadow in England. The farm in the distance is Colnabaichin, standing safely on higher ground, away from the risk of flooding in a spate.

Anne Burgess

River Don

Looking downstream from the bridge that carries the A939.

Anne Burgess

River Don

Looking upstream from the A939 bridge.

Anne Burgess

Colnabaichin Toll House

Instantly recognisable as a toll house because of the windows set at 45º to the road, so that the toll keeper could easily see approaching traffic. It is a Category C Listed building. See Link

for details and some history.

Anne Burgess

Post Box

A rural post box still in regular use. It is a type manufactured by the Carron Company, near Falkirk.

Anne Burgess

House at Colnabaichin

A small house just off the A944 close to its junction with the A939.

Anne Burgess

Sheep in Strathdon

Pasture land beside the River Don.

Anne Burgess

Warning Notice

The roads authority finally realised that NJ2900 : Trouble at the bridge!, built in the 1740s, is totally unsuitable for use by large and heavy vehicles. I have more than once waited there while a tour bus has decanted its passengers to inch gingerly across the hump and round the right-angled bend immediately north of it. And of course it's always necessary to tell drivers not to trust their SatNav. The tall new road signs at the actual junction are shrouded in cloth so I can't tell what they are saying.

Anne Burgess

A944 towards Corgarff

Steven Brown

Junction of the A939 and A944

Steven Brown

A939 towards Corgarff

Steven Brown

The Valley of the River Don

Looking S.W. from the small pine wood above Skellater.

Peter Aikman

Our Lady of the Snows, Corgarff

The chapel served the local Gaelic-speaking Catholic community and, this far out of the way, was constructed even during penal times. Local Catholics and Gaelic-speakers alike are now pretty well extinct. The chapel may be secularised: certainly the adjacent house is no longer used by the Church. But, even in May, Our Lady still looks out on her snows!

Kevin Philpott