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Walking in the Cairngorms

Over 100 walks, trails and scrambles including Lochnagar

ISBN

9781852848866

Availability

Published

7 Jul 2017

Reprinted

1 Jun 2022

Edition

Second

Pages

320

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.80cm

Weight

370g

Delivery & Returns

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This guidebook contains over 100 routes for walking in the Cairngorms and Lochnagar, including 18 Munro summits, smaller hills, and trekking options. Walks range in length from 1 to 26 miles and are graded for difficulty.

Seasons

snow on tops December-April. May/June best for all routes. July/August bring midges and heat

Centres

Aviemore, Glenmore village, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Tomintoul, Cock Bridge, Ballatar, Braemar

Difficulty

Walks range in length from 1 to 26 miles and are graded for difficulty. Options for walks on mountains (900m+), mid-level hills and low-level routes. Some scrambling.

Must See

Classic summits include Macdui, Cairn Gorm, Braeriach, Cairn Toul and Lochnagar; river walks along the Spey, Nethy, Avon and Dee; Lairig Ghru

ISBN

9781852848866

Availability

Published

7 Jul 2017

Reprinted

1 Jun 2022

Edition

Second

Pages

320

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.80cm

Weight

370g

Delivery & Returns

Overview

A guidebook to over 100 walking routes in the Cairngorms and Lochnagar. Sitting between Speyside and Deeside the Cairngorms National Park provides the backdrop for these low- and high-level walks and scrambles suitable for a range of abilities.

Walks range from 2 to 42km (1–26 miles) and have been graded by difficulty, allowing you to select routes suitable for your ability level.

1:50,000 OS maps or 1:100,000 route maps included for each walk
Includes 18 Munro summits
Multiple summit path options are included for five hills – Macdui, Cairn Gorm, Braeriach, Cairn Toul and Lochnagar
Detailed information on facilities and mountain bothies
Easy access from Aviemore and Braemar

Table of Contents

Introduction
Cairngorms: the highs and the lows
Walking conditions
When to go
Safety in the mountains
Maps
How to use this book
Part 1 Aviemore and the Spey
1 Grantown and Spey
2 Spey at Boat of Garten
3 Craigellachie Birches
4 Geal-charn Mor
5 Around Loch an Eilein
6 Ord Ban
7 Argyll Stone
Part 2 Glen More
8 Gleann Einich and the Sgorans
9 Creag a’ Chalamain and the Cat Notch
10 Down Cairn Gorm
11 Lochan Uaine
12 Meall a’ Bhuachaille
13 Creag Mhor and Bynack More
14 Beinn Mheadhoin
Summit Summary: Cairn Gorm
15 Bynack More and the Saddle
16 Strath Nethy and the Saddle
17 Lairig an Lui, Loch Avon, Coire Raibert
18 Lochan na Beinne and Cnap Coire na Spreidhe
19 Coire Cas (descent)
20 Coire an t-Sneachda: Headwall (scramble Grade 1)
21 Coire an t-Sneachda: Pygmy Ridge (scramble Grade 3)
22 Coire an t-Sneachda: Goat Path
23 Fiacaill Ridge of Coire an t-Sneachda (scramble Grade 1)
24 Lurcher’s Crag
25 Plateau route from Macdui
Shelter Stone Summary
26 Strath Nethy and the Saddle
27 Lairig an Lui, Loch Avon
28 To Coire Cas or Cairn Gorm by Coire Raibert
29 From Coire Cas by Coire Domhain
30 From Linn of Dee by Loch Etchachan
31 To Ben Macdui by Loch Etchachan
32 To Carn Etchachan by Pinnacle Gully (scramble Grade 1)
33 Forefinger Pinnacle (scramble Grade 3)
34 To Ben Macdui by Avon Slabs (scramble Grade 1 or 2)
Summit Summary: Ben Macdui
35 From Lairig Ghru by Tailor Burn
36 From Derry Lodge by Carn a’ Mhaim
37 Sron Riach
38 Via Derry Cairngorm
39 Coire Etchachan
40 From Coire Cas
41 Plateau route from Cairn Gorm
Part 3 Badenoch
42 Badenoch Way
43 Insh to Aviemore
44 Druid Circle at Dalraddy
45 Take an Insh
46 Carn Dearg Mor
47 Mullach Clach a’ Bhlair by Coire Garbhlach
48 Badan Mosach waterfall
49 Summer Road to Ruthven
50 Glen Tromie: Croidh-la
51 Creag Bheag
Summit Summary: Braeriach
52 From Glenmore by Chalamain Gap and Sron na Lairige
53 From Rothiemurchus by Sron na Lairige
54 Gleann Einich and Coire Ruadh
55 Gleann Einich and Coire Dhondail
56 Coire Dhondail scramble (scramble Grade 1)
57 South Ridge of Coire Bhrochain
58 Ridge route from Cairn Toul
Summit Summary: Cairn Toul
59 Coire Odhar
60 Great Moss
61 East Ridge (scramble Grade 1)
62 Northeast Ridge of Angel’s Peak (scramble Grade 1)
63 Corrie of the Chokestone Gully
64 Ridge route from Braeriach
Part 4 Glenlivet and Tomintoul
65 Hills of Cromdale
66 Carn Daimh
67 Around the Brown
68 Glen Brown and Ailnack Ravine
69 Ben Avon by its River
70 Tors of Ben Avon
71 Cnap Chaochan Aitinn
72 Ailnack Upper Ravine
Part 5 Donside
73 Carn Ealasaid
74 Brown Cow Hill
75 Don to Ben Avon
Part 6 Deeside Braemar
76 Clais Fhearnaig
77 Derry Cairngorm by Lochan Uaine
78 The Happy Face of Beinn a’ Chaorainn
79 Dee and Derry
80 Around Glen Geusachan
81 The Devil’s Back Side
82 Glen Quoich
83 Beinn a’ Bhuird
84 Carn na Drochaide and the Fairy Glen
85 Morrone Birkwood and the Dee
86 Morrone and Glen Ey
87 Creag nan Gabhar
88 White Mounth and Jock’s Road
Part 7 Balmoral and Lochnagar
89 Balmoral Castle
90 Craigendarroch and the Dee
91 Around Loch Muick
92 Dubh Loch and Broad Cairn
93 Creag an Dubh-loch
Summit Summary: Lochnagar
94 Queen Victoria’s Ballochbuie Route
95 Byron’s scramble by the Stuic (scramble Grade 1)
96 Tracks from Balmoral
97 Meall Coire na Saobhaidhe
98 Tourist path from Spittal of Glenmuick
99 Conachcraig
100 Loch na Gaire
101 Falls of Glas Allt (descent)
102 From Loch Callater
The Long Routes
The Cairngorms 4000s
The Lairig Ghru
Appendices
I Route summary
II Access (in particular during the deer-stalking season)
III Mountain bothies
IV Gaelic place names
V Lists of hills
VI Scrambles summary and grading
VII Accommodation and information
VIII Further reading

Updates

January 2023

Walks 79 and 80

The Mountain Bothies Association has just renovated a new bothy on the north side of the Geldie Burn, 2.5km southwest of White Bridge (Ruighe Ealasaid, the Red House, NO 002 869). It will be a useful jumping-off point for the Lairig Ghru or Cairn Toul, avoiding the need to use the busy Corrour Bothy further north.

July 2018

The Garbh Choire refuge

see page 176 plus routes 62 and 63

This has now been restored to its original weathertight condition and is under the care of the Mountain Bothies Association.

By Ronald Turnbull

Ronald Turnbull writes regularly for TGO, Lakeland Walker, Trail and Cumbria magazines. His previous books include Across Scotland on Foot, Long Days in Lakeland and Welsh 3000ft Challenges. He has written many other Cicerone guides, including Walking in the Lowther Hills, The Book of the Bivvy and Not the West Highland Way. Ronald's weekly newsletter on mountains, hillwalking and history is at https://aboutmountains.substack.com/

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