Cairn Gorm Route Information

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Cairn Gorm

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

650 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 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

7.74 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

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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

A very easy route is made less desirable by the ski tows, funicular railway and the erosion of fragile soil and plants. It is best climbed on route to somewhere more pleasant e.g. Beinn Mheadhion.

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: Aviemore

From Aviemore (B9152) follow the signs for Coylumbridge W on B970 crossing the River Spey. From Coylumbridge take the road for Glemore Forest Park and the Cairngorm Ski Centre. This road takes you along the shores of Loch Morlich. Continue on the ski road to the upper car park where it terminates.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 650 metres. Allow 3 hours to complete this 7.74 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 Ski Centre Carpark
		NH98950608	Distance	Altitude 626 m

1	Avoid temptation to get on funicular railway and head SW on path
		NH98670567	Distance 0.60 km	Altitude 650 m

2	At branch, turn S into Coire an t-Sneachda
		NH98840458	Distance 1.14 km	Altitude 777 m

3	Leave path and ascend E onto crest of Fiacaill a' Choire Chais ridge
		NH99320466	Distance 0.49 km	Altitude 910 m

4	Continue SE up ridge to plateau
		NH99910399	Distance 0.89 km	Altitude 1135 m

5	Follow path E to summit of Cairn Gorm
		NJ00560407	Distance 0.75 km	Altitude 1245 m

6	Reverse route to return
		NH98950608	Distance 3.87 km	Altitude 626 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

Cairngorms * Monadhliath
by MWIS (PDF format)

East Highlands
by Met Office

Beinn Mheadhoin
by Metcheck

Images of Cairn Gorm

Cairn Gorm with Cnap Coire na Spreidhe in the foreground seen from Bynack More.

Image by Graham Young

Climbers in Coire an t-Sneachda, Cairngorm 2/12/07

Image by Norrie Shand

View from just west of the summit of Cairn Gorm towards the butresses of Stob Coire an t-Sneachda with Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda tapering away to the right. Sgor Gaoith/Sgoran Dubh Mor is visible in the distance.

Image by Andrew Lau

Cairn Gorm when seen from the summit tor of Beinn Mheadhoin.

Image by Chris Bowles

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

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sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

Rating & Reviews

Rating & Reviews

Rated:

from 3 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by Sc Joss on 20 Jul 2012:

Climbed this with two four year olds who walked all the way up from the car park along the excellent path and then got the train down after visiting the summit. It is not the most exciting but it is an excellent choice of first munro with the train down as an incentive. Plus the added bonus of watching the weather station pop up. They managed this suprisingly well and reached the top in less than 3 hours.

Written by Stephen Graham on 18 Aug 2003:

Not the most pleasant of routes but as it was my 7 year old sons first munro we decided to stick to the easiest option. Now that the Ptarmigan operates a closed system for folks who get the train up to the summit was quiet and clean. The views from the top were very fine indeed.

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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