Lochnagar

{{About||the poem/folksong|Lachin y Gair|the crater in France|Lochnagar mine|the whisky distillery|Royal Lochnagar distillery|the Norwegian black metal band|Borknagar}}

{{Infobox mountain

| photo = Lochnagar from Meikle Pap - geograph.org.uk - 476818.jpg

| photo_caption=Lochnagar summit and loch from Meikle Pap

| name = Lochnagar

| other_name = Beinn Chìochan

| native_name ={{native name|gd|Beinn Chìochan}}

| coordinates = {{coord|56.9547321|-3.2402559|format=dms|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(NO244861)_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| elevation = {{cvt|1155|m|ft}}

| elevation_ref =

| prominence = {{cvt|671|m|ft}}

| isolation_ref = {{cvt|19.21|km|miyd}} {{cite web |url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=9239 |title=Locnagar isolation |website=www.peakbagger.com |access-date=6 September 2024}}

| parent_peak = Ben Avon

| range = Grampian Mountains

| listing = Munro, Marilyn

| translation = breast-shaped mountain

| pronunciation = {{IPAc-en|lang|ˌ|l|ɒ|x|n|ə|'|g|ɑr|audio=Lochnagar.ogg}} {{respell|LOKH|nə|GAR}}
{{IPA|gd|peɲ ˈçiəxən|lang}}

| location = Aberdeenshire, Scotland

| map = Scotland

| grid_ref_UK = NO244861

| topo = OS Landranger 44

}}

Lochnagar or {{lang|gd|Beinn Chìochan|italics=no}} is a mountain in the Mounth, in the Grampians of Scotland. It is about {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=off|spell=on}} south of the River Dee near Balmoral. It is a popular hill with hillwalkers, and is a noted venue for summer and winter climbing. At the foot of the mountain is a lochan, Lochan na Gaire, from which the mountain's name derives.

Names

The English name refers to a mountain loch in the northeast corrie, {{lang|gd|Lochan na Gaire}}, the 'little loch of the noisy sound'. {{lang|gd|Beinn Chìochan}} or {{lang|gd|Beinn nan Cìochan}}, 'mountain of breasts' or 'breast-shaped mountain', is probably the original Gaelic name for the mountain.{{cite web|url=https://www.ainmean-aite.scot/placename/lochnagar-mountain/ |title=Lochnagar|work=Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba: Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland}}{{cite web |url=http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/faclair/sbg/lorg.php?facal=Beinn%20Ch%C3%ACochan&seorsa=Gaidhlig&tairg=Lorg&eis_saor=on |title=Lochnagar |work=An Stòr-dàta Briathrachais Gàidhlig |publisher=University of the Highlands and Islands |access-date=10 June 2018 }}{{cite book|last= Mitchell|first=Ian| title=Scotland's Mountains Before the Mountaineers|publisher=Luath Press|date=2004|isbn=0946487391|page=63}}

The summit itself is {{lang|gd|Cac Càrn Beag}},{{Cite book |title=Scotland |page=265 |first=Chris |last=Townsend |publisher=Cicerone Press Limited |date=30 March 2011 |isbn=9781849653534 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XPoRSLTkhtsC&q=%22Cac+Carn+Beag%22&pg=PA265 |access-date=2018-03-15 }} meaning 'small cairn of faeces' in Gaelic, or less euphemistically, 'little pile of shit'. Peter Drummond, former chairman of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland, has also suggested that {{lang|gd|cac}} is a corruption of {{wikt-lang|gd|cadha}} ('slope'), which would lend a translation of 'little cairn of the slope'.

Geography

File:Lochnagar summit 1933.jpg

Lochnagar is located on the Royal Estate of Balmoral.{{cite web |url=http://www.whoownsscotland.org.uk/property.php?p=4466 |title=Property Page: Balmoral (Aberdeen part) and Birkhall |publisher=Who Owns Scotland |access-date=1 March 2018 }} Its principal feature is a north-facing corrie, around which most of the subsidiary tops, as well as the main peak, sit. The corrie is the location of many classic summer and winter climbing routes.{{cite book|first1= Ken|last1= Wilson|author1-link=Ken Wilson (mountaineering writer)|first2=Richard|last2= Gilbert|title=The Big Walks|date=1982|publisher=Diadem Books|isbn=0-906371-60-0|page=78}} The mountain is a Munro and is popular with hillwalkers at all times of the year, with the most common ascent route being from Glen Muick.{{cite book|editor=Donald Bennett|title=The Munros, SMC Hillwalkers' Guide|publisher= Scottish Mountaineering Trust|year=1985|isbn=0-907521-13-4|page=122}} Care should be taken on the summit in poor visibility: the plateau has few obvious features and has steep cliffs on its northern edge.

Climate

Lochnagar's summit experiences an Alpine Tundra Climate, with freezing, snowy winters and cool summers. The nearest UK Met Office weather station is at Braemar {{convert|6+1/2|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} northwest. The yearly temperature range is usually between {{convert|-6.6|and|9.4|C|F}}. January has the highest average frosts, despite February nights being colder; January has an average of 26.9 frost days, compared with 24.3 in February. There is the risk of a frost at any time of the year, even in July and August, when each month averages 1 air frost every 10 years.

Nature and conservation

Lochanagar lies within the Cairngorms National Park, and also gives its name to Deeside and Lochnagar National Scenic Area, one of 40 such areas in Scotland.{{cite web |url=https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/protected-areas-and-species/protected-areas/national-designations/national-scenic-areas |title=National Scenic Areas |publisher=NatureScot |access-date=29 September 2020}} The designated national scenic area is {{convert|40000|ha}} in size, and covers the mountains surrounding Lochnagar as far south as the head of Glen Doll, as well Deeside to the north.{{cite web |url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/9121 |title=Deeside and Lochnagar NSA |publisher=NatureScot|access-date=29 September 2020}}

The mountain forms part of two designated Special Protection Areas,{{cite web |url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/map |title=Sitelink - Map Search |publisher=NatureScot|access-date=29 September 2020}} due to its importance for breeding dotterel (Charadrius morinellus){{cite web |url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8542 |title=Lochnagar SPA|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=29 September 2020}} and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos).{{cite web |url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/10234 |title=Cairngomes Massif SPA|publisher=NatureScot|access-date=29 September 2020}}

Cultural references

Due to its location on the Balmoral estate the mountain has many royal links, and Queen Victoria climbed to the summit in 1848. In the film Mrs. Brown, John Brown and Benjamin Disraeli hike up Lochnagar to discuss the need for the Queen to return to active involvement with government. It is also the setting for a children's story, The Old Man of Lochnagar, originally told by Prince Charles. In 2023, a recessional tune entitled The Call of Lochnagar was composed for the service at which Charles III was presented the Honours of Scotland.{{cite web |url=https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/work/63923/The-Call-of-Lochnagar--Paul-Mealor/ |title=The Call of Lochnagar (2023) |author= |date=2023 |website=wisemusicclassical.com |publisher=Wise Music Classical |access-date=31 August 2023 |quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sco.org.uk/news/the-honours-of-scotland |title=The Honours of Scotland |author= |date=1 July 2023 |website=sco.org.uk |publisher=Scottish Chamber Orchestra |access-date=31 August 2023 |quote=}}

The poet Lord Byron spent time in the area in his youth,Black's Guide to Scotland, 33rd Edition (1903). p. 232. and wrote the poem, Lachin y Gair (also known as Dark Lochnagar), which also forms the basis of a song which would eventually be composed by Beethoven.

{{Blockquote|England! thy beauties are tame and domestic,

⁠To one who has rov'd on the mountains afar:

Oh! for the crags that are wild and majestic,

⁠The steep, frowning glories of dark Loch na Garr|Byron}}

A malt-whisky distillery located near the Balmoral estate on the south side of the River Dee produces the Royal Lochnagar Single Malt whisky.

The hill gives its name to one of the houses at Aboyne Academy.