Ben MacDui, Derry Cairngorm and Carn a' Mhaim Route Information

Home Glossary

Ben MacDui, Derry Cairngorm & Carn a' Mhaim

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

1745 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

10 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

33.49 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

36	Grantown & Aviemore, Cairngorm Mountains
43	Braemar & Blair Atholl

Only £6.29 (£13.49 Laminated) from

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

A long rewarding day which took 11.5 hrs to complete. Care is required when crossing the bouldery summits of Ben MacDui & Derry Cairngorm. A fine ridge walk from Carn a'Mhaim & Ben MacDui. A moderate although long route for the reasonably fit.

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 - Hotels, caravan/campsite & Youth Hostel

From Braemar village, take the unidentified road West to the Linn of Dee. The National Trust car park lies 100m east of this point.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,745 metres. Allow 10 hours to complete this 33.49 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	Follow winding unsurfaced road NW to the junction with the path to Clais Fhearnaig
		NO05809233	Distance 3.00 km	Altitude 425 m

3	Continue NW to Derry Lodge (where you may wish to leave your bike)
		NO04059344	Distance 2.25 km	Altitude 425 m

4	Cross river and head WNW to Luibeg Bridge and continue W on path
		NO01009387	Distance 3.92 km	Altitude 525 m

5	Ascend NE on steep slopes South of Coire na Poite to summit of Carn a' Mhaim
		NN99459518	Distance 2.21 km	Altitude 1037 m

6	Head NNW on ridge to broad col (810m)
		NN98709718	Distance 2.14 km	Altitude 810 m

7	Climb NE towards the summit ridge
		NN99609859	Distance 1.70 km	Altitude 1232 m

8	Head NW to Ben MacDui summit
		NN98909894	Distance 0.81 km	Altitude 1309 m

9	Descend E over boulders towards Coire Sputan Dearg to join path
		NN99879881	Distance 1.17 km	Altitude 1158 m

10	Follow path NE towards Loch Etchachan
		NO00809967	Distance 1.05 km	Altitude 1041 m

11	Descend SE then ascend SSE to Derry Cairngorm summit
		NO01729804	Distance 1.97 km	Altitude 1155 m

12	Bear SSE to Carn Crom
		NO02589548	Distance 2.79 km	Altitude 860 m

13	Descend SE to path
		NO04009356	Distance 2.70 km	Altitude 430 m

14	Return to Derry Lodge, then S to start
		NO06368978	Distance 7.38 km	Altitude 380 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Cairngorms * Monadhliath
by MWIS (PDF format)

East Highlands
by Met Office

Ben Macdui
by Metcheck

Images of Ben MacDui, Derry Cairngorm & Carn a' Mhaim

Looking back to the summit from the lower slopes of Ben Macdui

Image by Stephen Cormie

Ben MacDui from the west top of Beinn Bhreac 26/5/07

Image by Alistair Craig

view from top of Ben macdui

Image by Timothy Grieve

Derry Cairngorm and Ben Macdui from Luibeg bridge

Image by Kris Benzie

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 8 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by Sc Joss on 22 May 2013:

Excellent route if you cycle in but BEWARE THE BRIDGE. The path from Carn a'Mhaim goes straight to the river and not to the bridge. The bridge is quarter of a mile upstream adn after a long days walking having to find the diversion is a bit of a drag so keep an eye out for it. Other than that a superb if long day.

Written by Mike Watson on 16 May 2008:

Definitely one for good weather as it enters some wild parts of the cairngorms with associated good views and nav issues. A bike + camping at Derry Lodge recommended so you can then do Beinn Bhreac & Beinn a' Chaorainn the next day and avoid a separate cycle/walk in.

Written by M. Forbes on 04 May 2008:

Managed in 10 hours, this route is extremely tiring! and not for the inexperianced climber like me. If i had a gun up there I would have shot myself, as even after you completed all 3 munros, the journey was far from over, still having to scale several other smaller peaks to get down, and then the 6/7 mile walk back to the car. All the same great route, excellent views and a brilliant day out! Many Thanks

Written by Alan Wilson on 10 Oct 2007:

I combined these hills with Beinn Bhreac and beinn a chaorainn across the glen...going anti clockwise so finishing on derry cairngorm...a long but rewarding day out, taking a bike as far as Beinn Bhreac makes it possible in an 8 hour push (truck to truck)...best part was the descent from Beinn Mheadhoin to Loch Etchechan...a green jewel on the day...great views also from the boggy Moine into Coire Etchechan...

Written by Peter Lang on 13 Jun 2006:

Cycled in, Camped near Luibeg Bridge for weekend, small, excellent path leaves route to Lairig Ghru once levels out on shoulder of Carn a'Mhaim. Summit just over 1hr from LB and good gradient descent to bealach with fine views of LG/Braeriach. Path up bouldery pavement, quickly rock hops you onto MacDhui plateau, then 15 mins to prominent trig point and nearby view indicator (assuming last 100m not in cloud!!) Head E to crags and descend to col,skirt Creagan a Choire Etchachan and easy ascent over rocks to Derry Cairngorm, descend on heather SW before Carn Crom reach good path back to LB.

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.

Cookie Policy