Carn a' Gheoidh, The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda Route Information

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Carn a' Gheoidh, The Cairnwell & Carn Aosda

Quick Facts

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

660 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

3.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

11.06 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.

OS Landranger Maps Required

43	Braemar & Blair Atholl

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A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

Easy route, on terrain partially scarred by skiing equipment.

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 travel S on A93 to Glen Shee Ski Centre and park. This is the Cairnwell Pass.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 660 metres. Allow 3.5 hours to complete this 11.06 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 Glenshee Ski Centre on A93
		NO13887820	Distance	Altitude 650 m

1	Follow road WNW through ski tows
		NO13617824	Distance 0.28 km	Altitude 684 m

2	Bear NW past Ski Rescue Post to tows on South slopes of Aosda
		NO13357858	Distance 0.44 km	Altitude 730 m

3	Ascend N to just West of the summit
		NO13307914	Distance 0.66 km	Altitude 868 m

4	Bear ENE to summit of Carn Aosda
		NO13427918	Distance 0.14 km	Altitude 917 m

5	Return WSW
		NO13307914	Distance 0.14 km	Altitude 868 m

6	Follow path SW towards Loch Vrotachan
		NO12827889	Distance 0.55 km	Altitude 810 m

7	Continue S to bealach
		NO12807853	Distance 0.48 km	Altitude 800 m

8	Ascend SSW to col
		NO12737814	Distance 0.65 km	Altitude 805 m

9	Follow corrie rim WSW
		NO12457803	Distance 0.30 km	Altitude 813 m

10	Turn SW and continue along corrie rim to reach lochans
		NO12127742	Distance 0.70 km	Altitude 860 m

11	Continue SW on broad ridge to summit of Carn a' Gheoidh
		NO10727669	Distance 1.72 km	Altitude 975 m

12	Return NE across broad ridge to Lochans
		NO12127742	Distance 1.72 km	Altitude 860 m

13	Return NNE along corrie rim
		NO12457803	Distance 0.70 km	Altitude 813 m

14	Return ENE to col
		NO12737814	Distance 0.30 km	Altitude 805 m

15	Ascend SE to summit ridge
		NO13487753	Distance 0.99 km	Altitude 900 m

16	Continue S to summit of The Cairnwell
		NO13517737	Distance 0.20 km	Altitude 933 m

17	Return N along summit ridge
		NO13487753	Distance 0.20 km	Altitude 900 m

18	Descend NE through ski clutter to reach road
		NO13907803	Distance 0.73 km	Altitude 660 m

19	Bear N along road to carpark
		NO13887820	Distance 0.17 km	Altitude 650 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Southeastern Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)

East Highlands
by Met Office

Cairn Bannoch
by Metcheck

Images of Carn a' Gheoidh, The Cairnwell & Carn Aosda

The view north from the summit. The walk out to this mountain is a breath of fresh air after climbing its unpleasantly scarred neighbours The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda.

© Michael Hill

Image by Michael Hill

The Cairnwell from the slopes of Carn Aosda with Glenshee ski centre at the foot of the hill.

© Donny McKie

Image by Donny McKie

Carn a' Gheoidh from Carn Aosda.

© Donny McKie

Image by Donny McKie

The Cairnwell in the mist, taken on 22/01/2006

© Robert Lyall

Image by Robert Lyall

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

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 12 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by Mike Watson on 28 Dec 2006:

3 stars for the views which to the north are of the cairngorms. Not a bad walk if you blank out the junk and a fine one to take beginners on due to presence of cafe at the end!

Written by Duncan Macleod on 12 Aug 2005:

Unexciting trudge. However, some great views. The ski-fences allow you to get close to the hares. Did the first 2 before noon, and Carn a'Gheoidh by 1.30. Decided to push on to An Socach. Came back via Loch Vrotachan. 10 hrs walking and the only people I saw on the hills were 2 workers on The Cairnwell; plus hare, red deer, grouse, ptarmigan, frogs.

Written by Lynne Harvey on 08 Aug 2005:

Great for my first Munro experience, Loch Vrotochan is lovely and tranquill. Great visability on the day we went up. Looking forward to baggin more. Litter of the Ski tows doesn't bother me as I get immense pleasure from them in the winter season while boarding, if this bothers you choose another mountain instead of whinging about it! :o)

Written by Craig Brackenridge on 13 Oct 2004:

A good beginners Munro - was the first I took the missus up. Very steep to get to the plateau, but once there it was a very enjoyable walk with wonderful views in all directions, excepting of course the tower masts on the Cairnwell! I could phone my workmate though and make him jealous that he was doing overtime and not out walking!

Written by Jon Todman on 19 Jun 2004:

I took others' advice, and went for Carn Bhinnein following Carn a' Gheoidh. Despite the fact it wasn't a munro (one of our guidebooks tricked us there), the views were a hundred times better than on the other summits. Nasty weather and the sheer difficulty in being inspired by 2 very ugly munros almost sent us back early.

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.

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