This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.
Total Ascent
1130 m
An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.
Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.
Route Time
8 hrs
The horizontal distance of the route.
Route Distance
29.68 km
The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.
You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.
Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.
Notes
This moderate route to two of the central Cairngorms requires endurance. The Moine Bhealach can be heavy going in wet weather. N.B. The route time can be shortened by cycling to Derry Lodge.
Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.
We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.
Travel Information
Head to: Braemar
From Braemar (A93) travel W on minor road sign-posted "Linn of Dee" continue on this road to the falls where the road crosses the river and turns east. After a short distance enter the car park on your left.
Route Waypoint Map
The total ascent is 1,130 metres. Allow 8 hours to complete this 29.68 km route.
In winter months please check the local snow conditions at sais.gov.uk.
The hillphones service can inform you of stalking activities in the area.
Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.
The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.
Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.
Route Information
Waypoint Detail
Start from large Carpark at Linn of Dee
NO06368978
Distance
Altitude 380 m
1
Walk/cycle E to start of unsurfaced road
NO06808983
Distance 0.40 km
Altitude 366 m
2
Head NNW on track through Glen Lui
NO05949218
Distance 2.73 km
Altitude 413 m
3
Continue NW to Derry Lodge
NO04059344
Distance 2.52 km
Altitude 425 m
4
Head NNE on path through forest
NO04519523
Distance 2.08 km
Altitude 515 m
5
Follow path to the NW further into Glen Derry
NO03819612
Distance 1.14 km
Altitude 520 m
6
Continue N through Glen Derry to highest point of Lairig an Laoigh
NJ03370045
Distance 4.59 km
Altitude 745 m
7
Bear E and start steep ascent
NJ03750055
Distance 0.38 km
Altitude 865 m
8
Continue ascending NE to Beinn a' Chaorainn Summit
NJ04520135
Distance 1.20 km
Altitude 1083 m
9
Head E for a short distance to gain descent ridge
NJ04860137
Distance 0.33 km
Altitude 1010 m
10
Descend S onto Moine Bhealaidh
NO05139925
Distance 2.15 km
Altitude 856 m
11
Descend SSE to Moine Bhealach, turning SSW to Craig Derry
NO04969757
Distance 1.28 km
Altitude 865 m
12
Head SSE turning E to summit of Beinn Bhreac
NO05889709
Distance 1.74 km
Altitude 931 m
13
Descend SSW to col (700m)
NO05459596
Distance 1.59 km
Altitude 685 m
14
Descend NW and join approach path
NO04519523
Distance 1.14 km
Altitude 515 m
15
Follow the approach route in reverse to return to start
NO06368978
Distance 6.41 km
Altitude 380 m
A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.
Beinn a' Chaorainn from Beinn Breac note the faint path across the Moine Bhealaidh. Beinn Mheadhoin with its granite torrs also visible on the left of the picture
A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.
Where to Stay
We currently have no sponsored accommodation listings for this area.
Rating & Reviews
Rating & Reviews
Rated:
from 7 votes
Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating
Written by
Janet Weir
on 14 Aug 2010:
Walked in from Linn of Dee to Derry Lodge. continued along Glen Derry to the highest point og the Lairig an Laoigh and then sturk up hill to the rocky summit of Beinn a'Chaoriann. We then headed over the peat hags ov Moine Bhealaidh towards Beinn Bhreac. Continued SSW to the col and NW back to the path on Glen Derry. Finally, we walked back to Linn of Dee, the whole trip taking us 7hrs and 15 mins. All in all the walk was pretty uneventful however, due to the lovely weather we had great views of the other mountains in the Cairngorms.
Written by
Alan Wilson
on 10 Oct 2007:
Take a bike and dump it in the trees at where the track crosses the burn coming down from Beinn Bhreac....toil up the thick heather, then better higher up where it gets rocky...more pleasant walking on the ridge/plateau leads to good view point...head north and toil once again across the endless bog and peat hags...best part of the day is going down in to Glen Derry...I spiced this up by carrying on to Beinn Mheadoin and Derry Cairngorm, but that is a longer outing..
Written by
Peter Lang
on 31 Oct 2005:
Left car 0835 - excellent cycle in to Derry Lodge and beyond to 500m contour (look for 2 trees very close together on LHS - one dead - 50m beyond on RHS is large boulder = start of small path through trees to col).
In cloud at 850m but found summit oOK(1050) then followed left edge escarpment to Craig Derry and headed N - following stream before heading onto S ridge to summit(1250).
Quick descent to Glen Derry and stroll through caledonian pine forest (will be even better when plantations mature) to bikes (1550)
excellent day battling mother nature - blue sky to finish
Written by
Graham Ellis
on 09 Oct 2005:
I completed this pair going anti-clockwise. There is a path (most of the time) to Beinn Bhreac through the heather leaving the main Glen Derry path at NO 04529522. The peat hags (which are not too bad as hags go) over Moine Bhealaidh can be largely missed if you can see where you are going. From Beinn Bhreac I went NW to a path at NO 05579732, then NO 05569898, NO 05339913, NJ 05310007, and NJ 05020071. Using a bike to part way up Glen Derry took me 7hrs with stops for the circuit.
Written by
Kathleen Haddow
on 01 Aug 2004:
Both these hills are fairly gentle on the legs with no major lung busting efforts required. The Moine Bealaidh was tougher though: it's a vast plateau and a rough traverse of peat hags and boggy holes. It took us an hour to cross in good weather and would pose a few navigation problems in the mist.
Overall a realy good walk but the legs were really suffering by the end of the day. My GPS recorded 31km and 907m ascent for the route, most of which was on good paths.
Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map,
a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.
Summit
