map of area

walks in this area

Beinn Mheadhoin from Beinn Bhreac

Beinn a'Bhuird from Ben Avon

Derry Cairngorm & Beinn Mheadhoin

Location of Cairngorms

The Cairngorm Mountains are located in the Central Highlands between Speyside in the west and Deeside in the east.   Several of the mountains can be accessed from both Deeside and Speyside or can be climbed during backpacking trips.

It is a massif range of mountains and includes five peaks over 4,000 feet in height.   High up in these mountains you will find the only artic conditions in Britain.   Pockets of snow last well into the summer and sometimes all year round.

Cairn Toul

Ben Macdui

Braeriach

Mountains of the Northern Cairngorms

The mountains of the Northern Cairngorms include Cairn Gorm and Ben Macdui both of which are over 4,000 feet in height.   Ben Macdui is the second highest mountain in Britain.    They are easily reached by paths commencing from the Ski Centre car park in Coire Cas.

Beinn Mheadhoin is a remote Munro in the Cairngorms.   It can climbed by crossing the west shoulder of Cairn Gorm, descending to Loch Avon, climbing up to Loch Etchachan before the final pull to the summit, where you will have to scramble up a granite tor to reach the actual top.   This mountain can equally well be climbed from Glen Derry in the south, which cuts out the ups and downs of the northern approach.

Another of the Northern Cairngorm Munros is Braeriach which can be approached from various directions but is a long haul wherever you start from.   The most popular approach, if doing it in a single day, is probably from the 'Sugar Bowl' car park on the ski centre access road, climbing your way through the Chalamain gap, dropping into the Lairig Ghru and the long climb up the Sron na Lairge ridge.

The other Munro I would classify as being in the northern section of the Cairngorms is Bynack More.   The starting point is Glenmore Lodge, the National Outdoor Training Centre in Glen More, following the track to the now demolished Bynack Stable and on  towards the Lairig an Laoigh before cutting uphill to the summit.

There is one Corbett in the Northern Cairngorms and that is Creag Mhor, south-east of Bynack More.

Coire Raibert & Loch Avon

Sunset on Loch Morlich

Chest of Dee

Mountains of the Western Cairngorms

The western Cairngorms has four Munros.   Sgor Gaoith, which is perched above Loch Einich, and Mullach Clach a'Bhlair are normally climbed either separately or together from Glen Feshie.

The Munros Monadh Mor and Beinn Bhrotain can be climbed from Glen Dee using the route from the Linn of Dee to the White Bridge.

Three Corbetts are located to the south-west of Glen Feshie.   Carn Dearg Mor, Meallach Mhor and Leathad an Taobhain can be combined on a backpacking trip from Achlean in Glen Feshie.

Geal Charn

Beinn a'Bhuird

Bynack More & Cairn Gorm

Mountains of the Southern Cairngorms

The approach to the Southern Cairngorms is from the car park at the Linn of Dee to Glen Derry and on through to Glen Luibeg.   From here the Munros Carn a'Mhaim and Derry Cairngorm can be climbed and may include Ben Macdui.

Continue over from Glen Luibeg to the Lairig Ghru you will find Corrour Bothy.   This bothy is open to walkers and above it is The Devil's Point.   This Munro can be included with the Munros Cairn Toul and Sgor an Lochan Uaine.   Some may even consider continuing as far as Braeriach but it is a very long walk back out unless you have made plans to camp or stay overnight at the bothy.

The Lairig Ghru itself is a Right of Way from Braemar to Aviemore and is a popular walking route through the Cairngorms.

In this area I would include the single Corbett Sgor Mor, positioned between Glen Luibeg and Glen Dee.

Ben Avon

Quoich Water

Lairig Ghru

Mountains of the Eastern Cairngorms.

Glen Derry, reached from the Linn of Dee via Derry Lodge, has two Munros on its east side.   Beinn Bhreac and Beinn a'Chaorainn, and are normally climbed together.

Glen Derry leads to the Lairig an Laoigh another Right of Way to Aviemore but this route involves the crossing of the River Avon at the appropriately named Fords of Avon, impossible to cross after heavy rain or snow melt.

The final two Munros in this area are Beinn a'Bhuird and Ben Avon.   Beinn a'Bhuird can be approached from Linn of Quoich, near the Linn of Dee or from Invercauld east of Braemar.  The latter is also an approach route to Ben Avon, which can also be climbed from Corgarff on the A939 Tomintoul Road or from Tomintoul itself.   To reach the summit involves some easy climbing of a granite tor.  

There are three Corbetts in the Eastern Cairngorms.   Carn na Drochaide is climbed from Allanaquoich while Carn Liath and Culardoch are climbed together from Invercauld.

Northern Cairngorms

Loch Avon

The Devil's Point

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