Beinn Dearg [Blair Atholl] Route Information

Home Glossary

Beinn Dearg [Blair Atholl]

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

1087 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

9.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

35.89 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

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

An easy ascent, but the long approach makes this a strenuous route. You can cycle to the base of the hill to reduce route time, but about 40% of the road was resurfaced (1999/2000) with crushed rock which makes inclines difficult.

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: Blair Atholl

From Blair Atholl (A9) travel W on B8079 to Calvine and park in the village. Parking is also available on A9 above the village.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,087 metres. Allow 9.5 hours to complete this 35.89 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

	From Calvine, cross A9 to locate private road to Glen Bruar
		NN80526594	Distance	Altitude 210 m

1	Cycle/walk N, turning NNE on rough stony road to Bruar Lodge
		NN83137611	Distance 12.35 km	Altitude 450 m

2	Cross river by bridge and bear NNW on track to junction with path
		NN82867693	Distance 0.95 km	Altitude 475 m

3	Ascend NE on path to plateau, then continue NE to summit of Beinn Gharbh
		NN85147906	Distance 3.31 km	Altitude 932 m

4	Bear SE up boulder slopes of Beinn Dearg turning SSW on ridge to summit
		NN85297778	Distance 1.61 km	Altitude 1008 m

5	Descend SSW on path, turning S to Meall Dubh nan Dearcag
		NN84717516	Distance 2.95 km	Altitude 675 m

6	Descend NW to Bruar Lodge then return by approach road
		NN80526594	Distance 14.72 km	Altitude 210 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Southeastern Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)

East Highlands
by Met Office

Braeriach
by Metcheck

Images of Beinn Dearg [Blair Atholl]

Bothy at foot of Meall Tionail, before the start of the ascent of Beinn Dearg.

Image by Russell Mullen

Beinn Dearg viewed from Beinn Mheadhonach.

Image by Graham Young

The heathery western slopes below the final summit cone make this as easy route to the summit. April 2006

Image by Alex Bryce

Approach in superb weather Aug 10

Image by Bill Mccrum

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 6 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by Sc Joss on 22 Sep 2010:

Agree with Chris on it being a good idea to take a bike, it does indeed cut a couple of hours off, even if you have to push the bike occasionally on the way there. however, for those without shock absorbers I definitely wouldn't describe it as 'comfortable' ;-) prepare to have your teeth rattled as you speed back down the road!

Written by Chris Bowles on 13 Sep 2007:

I strongly reccommend the use of a bike when climbing from Old Blair. There would be a lot of downhill riding on the return and one could comfortably take a bike all the way to the bothy at the foot of Beinn Dearg. We made the mistake of walking the route, which was a tiresome slog along the minigaig; an out and back route that took 8.5 hours. A bike would shed at least a couple of hours of this time. Good views will be had from the summit however, and it is in a pleasantly remote spot.

Written by Judy Semple on 29 Apr 2007:

Cycled from Old Blair. Bit of a slog but good track up to the bothy. Done in sunny dry weather. Walk from bothy to summit easy with panoramic views at the top. An exhilerating downhill cycle on the way back to Blair. Six and half hours without rushing.

Written by Graham Bell on 17 May 2006:

Cycled in from Calvine and very glad I didn't walk. The remotness was the best part about this unexciting hill. Make sure you save this hill for a good weather day as it is too long and bland to be done without the views.

Written by Alex Bryce on 27 Apr 2006:

A remote glen leads to Bruar Lodge, this is certainly one of the loneliest Munros. I preferred ascending directly from Bruar Lodge, either following the tumbling burn, or by the east (left-hand) ridge.

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