[Byn a Krechan] In Gaelic, Chreachain originally referred to a clam or scallop shell, and has come to mean a bare, stony, windswept summit.
Beinn a' Chreachain is the last mountain in the great ridge running north-east from Beinn an Dothaidh. Although not far from some popular hills, it is rarely visited and has an exploratory feel. The views out over the barren expanse of Rannoch Moor towards Loch Ericht and Ben Alder reinforce this feeling of remoteness. It is a beautiful place to climb on a clear day.
Viewed from the lochan, there are three main buttresses. The left-hand (east) buttress is broken and indistinct. The central buttress has a couple of fine easy lines and the right-hand buttress has some steeper ground with more difficult routes. The gullies in between offer pleasant Grade I routes, albeit sometimes with monstrous cornices.