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Home   Glossary

Ben MacDui

Munro
Quick Facts
This is the height of the mountain above sea level. However, on the climb, it is the ascent that matters, i.e. the sum of all the uphill parts of the route.
Altitude
1309 m (4294 ft)

This is the standard notation used on Ordnance Survey Landranger maps.

Each reference consists of two letters identifying a 100,000 metre square block then three digits defining the Easting and finally the three digits defining the Northing with reference to the South West corner of the block.

NN166712 is the grid reference for the summit of Ben Nevis. Where you are given the map number ( For Ben Nevis = 41) it is acceptable to omit the two initial letters e.g. 166712. (Instructions on how to read the references are given on the OS maps).

Grid Ref.
NN98909894
An indication of this mountains height rank within its class. Where two mountains share the same height they are ordered alphabetically.
Stature
2 of 283 Munros
The number of ascent routes currently available on Munromagic.
Routes
2
Mountain names are usually in Gaelic, the native language of the Scottish Highlands, or have been derived from the old Scots and Norse languages. We give the most commonly accepted meaning, but accept that some of these are disputed.
Meaning
McDuff's hill
 

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
Only £6.29  (£11.69 Laminated) from  

A description of the characteristics of the mountain including any hazards of which you should be aware.

  Description
The summit of the massive Ben MacDui is bounded to the W and SW by the steep slopes of the Lairig Ghru. There are routes up these steep slopes but they are not recommended.

To the S lies a long ridge, which gives an easy ascent from Glen Luibeg. The western slopes of this ridge can be accessed from the N ridge of Carn a Mhaim. This route takes you up steep slopes onto boulder fields. To the east of this route and of the summit lie the precipitous cliffs of Coire Sputan Dearg, however a safe route E then NE leads down to Loch Etchachan.

From the summit, gentle slopes run N to Cairn Lochan, and down through the crags of Coire an Lochain to the carpark at the ski centre, or NNE to the summit of Cairn Gorm.

Hazards you may encounter on Ben MacDui include
 Relatively Remote Mountain navigate with care.
 Steep slopes on or near ascent routes.
 Stony/rocky Slopes on or near ascent routes.
 Crags within 1km of summit.
 
General Considerations
 Temperature decreases by 1degree C for every 100m of ascent.
 Wind usually increases with altitude.
 Visibility can change markedly with cloud level.
 River/Stream levels can increase markedly in one day.
Picture Gallery for Ben MacDui

Returning to Loch Etchacan from Bheinn Mheadhoin. Broad shoulder of Ben Macdui in the background.

© Stephen McLafferty
Image by Stephen McLafferty

Ben Macdui from Carn a'Mhaim.

© David Hunter
Image by David Hunter

Ben MacDui viewed from A' Choinneach (Bynack More) with Loch Avon beneath. (2008-10-13)

© Kevin Woods
Image by Kevin Woods

Towards Cairn Lochan from Ben Macdui 14 Feb 06

© Mark Stevens
Image by Mark Stevens
View All 32 Images for Ben MacDui

A selection of weather forecasts local to #GetMountain.Top_Name#.

Ordnance Survey digital maps are also available to members.

  Weather & OS Maps
Cairngorms * Monadhliath
by MWIS (PDF format) 		Cairngorms
by Accuweather 		East Highlands
by Met Office 		Ben Macdui
by Metcheck
Ben MacDui Area Map
Legend  Munro  Corbett  Graham  English/Welsh Top  Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

  Where to Stay
Results by distance from Ben MacDui
17.1 km
Ravenscraig Guest House
Grampian Road, Aviemore
18.1 km
Schiehallion House
10 Glenshee Road Braemar
18.2 km
Cranford Guest House
15 Glenshee Road, Braemar, Aberdeenshre
26.6 km
Croft Holidays
Croft Dhu, Newtonmore
26.8 km
Balneden Steading
Tomintoul, Ballindalloch
27.7 km
Eagle View Guest House
Perth Road Newtonmore
27.7 km
Netherwood House
Glen Road, Newtonmore
For information on camping visit
ScottishCamping.com who also produce
a map of scottish camp grounds.
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The summary information of one or more ascent routes that include Ben MacDui.

Click on the route title to load the full content for that route.

  Routes that include Ben MacDui
  Ascent Distance Time Including... Description Rating
1 1745 m 33.49 km 10 hrs Ben MacDui, Derry Cairngorm and Carn a' Mhaim  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.  
2 1520 m 29.09 km 8.5 hrs Ben MacDui  This is a long route requiring endurance, but the ascent is not difficult. The route time can be shortened by cycling to Derry Lodge.  
 

Pictures submitted by members on the summit of Ben MacDui

  Baggers Gallery for Ben MacDui

Anne and Horst at summit of Ben Macdui 22nd May 2010. Anne's first (and hopefully not last...) Munro!

© Lynda Langlands
Image by Lynda Langlands

liz,Jean, graham & Iain at the cairn as the sun made a brief appearance. 9/02/2010

© donald brown
Image by donald brown

Top of Ben Macdui 10/10/09.

© Dave Smith
Image by Dave Smith

Graeme & Janet Weir at the summit of Ben Macdui in Sept 2009

© Janet Weir
Image by Janet Weir
View All 26 Baggers Images for Ben MacDui
The logging section stores any entries for Ben MacDui in your own log. From here you can
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  Logging
Your Route Log
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Recently Climbed By
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Robert Martin on 05 Oct 2009
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Simon Cole on 04 Oct 2009
John Monaghan on 27 Sep 2009
Colin Barclay on 26 Sep 2009
Graeme Weir on 26 Sep 2009
Janet Weir on 26 Sep 2009
Willie Jack on 20 Sep 2009
Stephen Ralph on 20 Sep 2009
Calum Rogerson on 16 Sep 2009
Robin Longstaff on 12 Sep 2009
Jane Masters on 12 Sep 2009
Elaine Brown on 02 Sep 2009
Jan Konstmann on 02 Sep 2009
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If a member has uploaded a tracklog as part of their personal route log and opted to share it then it will be presented here.

You can view a members route overlayed on an online map or download the KMZ file for use in Google Earth.

 Shared Members Track Logs
 
Ben MacDui and Cairn Gorm
by Jan Konstmann

Post a few words about Ben MacDui or read what others have had to say.

 Comments
 
Showing the most recent 5 of 11 comments. Would you like to view all 11?
John Sibley
wrote on
July 19, 2010
worth spending £16 to hire a bike in Braemar, then cycling to Derry lodge, makes the return trip so much faster (18 mins from derry lodge to the car park)
Mike Watson
wrote on
December 14, 2009
Done as a ski tour in stunning conditions on the 12th of december 2009. Blue skis, plenty of snow and a temperature inversion! What more could you want!
Sam Barber
wrote on
March 14, 2009
Long circuit expedition from ski centre on a gloriously clear day. Bumped into some reindeer on the way to the plateau, easily gained Macdui to spectacular 360 views of the Lairig Ghru. With such weather Derry Cairngorm beckoned, and a deceptively quick descent to the bealach (looking back up it seems a LONG way to return!) led to a beautiful summit moment as the wind quietened and the serenity of the landscape sucked us in. Eschewing the slog back up to the McDui summit, we dropped into the glen between Macdui and Cairngorm and here saw some incredible cliffs, the gigantic mass of the plateau we had earlier traversed hewn along its flank, exposing the ancient strata. A brief scramble up a river gully and a 45 minute traverse brought us to the shoulder of Cairngorm, the summit temptingly close, but with the weather clearly about to change violently we reluctantly passed it by and returned down the spur to the ski centre. Awesome day.
Craig Anderson
wrote on
September 10, 2008
A good few years ago, whilst I was in the venture scouts, we did a '4 peaks challenge' for charity. The walk started in the ski centre car park, heading across the Chalamain pass towards the Lairig Ghru. Crossed over and up Braeriach. Round towards Angels Peak and Cairn Toul then descending down to Corrour Bothy. Next up Taillear's burn to Ben Macdui. Across plateau to Cairn Gorm and down to car park. Think it was 16-17 hours. In retrospect, should have included Devils Point, although I seem to recall being absolutely knackered by that point! Survived on Tesco's 'Kick' drink. Try it out!
George Greszczuk
wrote on
May 4, 2008
Route: Start/Finish: Corrour Bothy > zigzagged east up steep slopes to ridge N of Carn a' Mhaim > followed ridge to summit > retraced route N then up broad ridge SE of Allt Clach nan Taillear, swinging W to summit of Ben MacDui > Back E along FP to Creagan a' Choire Etchachan > S to summit of Derry Cairngorm > Down to Luibeg Burn > FP S then W back to Corrour Bothy Horizontal Distance Travelled: 20km Vertical Height Ascended: 1126m Time Taken: 9 hrs Weather: Dry, bright. Temperature: Warm. Wind: Light SE. Cloud base: Well above summits. Visibility: Great. Comments: Climbed as part of a long day on the hill one pleasant summer day. We were a party of two, based at Corrour Bothy for three nights. Terrific hill day!
 
 

A full written account of a climb submitted by our members.

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  Route Write-Ups
There are no Route Write-Ups submitted for Ben MacDui
 
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