right across the middle of hills such as Carn Bhac, Beinn Iutharn Mhor, The Cairnwell and others.
The range is also known, particularly in atlases, as the Grampians, although this is not a locally used name today. The Grampians is another very vague appellation. Some sources use it just to refer to the mountains that lie to the south of Braemar; the British Geological Survey uses it to refer to a much bigger area that includes Ben Nevis.
I am aware that this matter of names bothers some people greatly, and I have no particular axe to grind in this matter, but for the purposes of this book I have referred to the Cairngorms fairly loosely to include all the ranges that surround Braemar; this includes the Lochnagar hills, the Glenshee hills and the other hills to the immediate south of Glen Dee. My reason for doing this is quite simple: from a hillwalker’s point of view all these hills share a great deal in terms of their geology, their flora and fauna and, more importantly for the walker, the nature of their topography and the weather patterns that affect them.
Walking in the Cairngorms can be a very serious undertaking, even in summer, and it is essential that your fitness, skills and preparation are up to scratch. Many of the summits are very remote, involving very long outings and an absence of quick escape routes. The rolling, high-level plateaux can leave the walker exposed to the worst of the elements for much longer than in other ranges where there are fast descents to the valley. It is important to bear in mind that the times given for walks are guidelines only and do not include time for lunch breaks and other stops. Some parties might find that these times are much faster than they can easily manage, and all parties should allow a generous extra margin for breaks, mishaps and unforeseen delays. The use of a bike on the long estate roads is recommended, where possible, to shorten the day.
Navigation in these hills is frequently more demanding than in other areas, since the rounded and indeterminate nature of much of the terrain means that there may be very few obvious features to work from, often over very great distances. In white-out conditions this can become a nightmare, but even in the summer months - when the weather is bad and visibility is poor - navigation can be extremely difficult, and the consequences of a mistake can be serious.
The other characteristic that these hills share is the weather. There is something about the position of these hills, combined with their topography, that attracts some of the worst weather that Britain has to offer. True, in the summer months there is often less rainfall here than in Scotland’s western and northern ranges, but extreme winds can howl over these hills at any time of year; in winter the conditions can be truly Arctic. Map reading in such conditions can be virtually impossible, so it would help to know your route as thoroughly as possible before setting out, including checking escape routes and noting key bearings. It is also important to check the weather forecast with one of the specialized mountain weather services before setting out. Always be prepared to postpone a walk if the weather or the forecast is not good.
The Cairgorm massif is a beautiful but fragile environment which is protected under European and British law. Take care to minimise your impact on the birds, plants and animals that live here and take all your litter home with you.
ROUTE 1
Beinn a’ Bhuird (1197m), Ben Avon (Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe) (1171m)
Pronunciation: Bine yuh Voordge; Ben Arn; Labby un Dive Vooyuh
Translation: Table Mountain; Mountain of the River Avon; Bed of the Yellow Stag
| Start | along estate road past Keiloch and Invercauld House |
| Distance | 36km (of which 14km can be covered by bike on estate tracks) |
| Total Ascent | 1210m |
| Grade | see the general introduction to the Cairngorms (above) |
| Time | 10hrs 10mins (about 2hrs 15mins less if a bike is used on the estate track) |
| Maps | OS sheets 36 and 43; Explorer map 404; Area Map 6 |
| Access | Invercauld Estate, tel: 013397 41224 or 013397 41911 |
| Parking | off-road at Keiloch, where there is now a walkers’ car park (currently £2.50) |
| Accommodation | Hostel - YHA Braemar; independent Ballater; B&B/hotel - Braemar; Ballater; Camping - Braemar; Ballater |
This tough, long route makes an excellent circuit, with superb views on a clear day from Beinn a’ Bhuird over the rest of the Cairngorms. The huge plateau that gives Beinn a’ Bhuird its name is well appreciated from the southern flanks of Ben Avon. Isolated granite tors stand up like a series of strange growths on the smooth surface of these mighty hills, giving them the appearance of some distant planet, and many a climber, caught in deteriorating conditions, has learnt the hard way that this is not a place to be underestimated.
This walk lies at the eastern end of the Cairngorm massif. Like many of the Cairngorm routes it is both long and arduous, taking you into harsh, uncompromising landscape. The use of a bike on the estate track at the start and end of the walk can save valuable time and is strongly recommended.
From Keiloch, walk or cycle along the track past Invercauld House and Alltdourie into Gleann an t-Slugain. The track is signposted to Glen Quoich until ½km past Alltdourie, where the track divides; the left branch leads to Glen Quoich, and the right branch to the Slugain. The going gets progressively rougher the further you go, until a flat green apron is reached nestling in a little valley (beyond which the Landrover cannot go). Leave your bike here and continue on foot on a good footpath; this leads past the ruins of Slugain Lodge to the high upper valley of the Quoich Water.
The main path, which leads up the Glas Allt Mor to the Sneck (the col at the top), is left at 11607 95833 for a path which crosses the Quoich Water, then winds through the heather and climbs around the steep little nose of Carn Fiaclach. It stays on the western side of this ridge and climbs steadily along it before reaching its crest higher up, then veers left again near the top to avoid the stones on the upper slopes. It is further than it looks - or perhaps it just feels further than it is. Eventually you pass between the south top and the prominent granite tor of Point 1179, and soon the high ground of the ridge is reached as you traverse around the impressive crags above the Dubh Lochan, a climber’s playground. These dramatic scenes on your right are matched by a sensational view to your left over the entire range of the Cairngorm hills. The North Top of Beinn a’ Bhuird is marked by a cairn at 09230 00611 (5hrs 15mins; about 1hr 10mins less if a bike is used on the estate track).
Continue east-northeast past (or over) a craggy minor top, then descend steeply down a badly eroded sandy path to the col known as the Sneck (at 11852 01000). In poor visibility you should stay well to the left (north) of this path, as there are many false ‘runs’ that lead down to the Glas Allt Mor (an escape route leads down this valley, via a good path, in a fairly direct line to the Allt an t-Slugain). From the col it is a straightforward climb onto Ben Avon. The summit is a substantial granite tor set back about 1½km to the northeast (Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe). Scramble up to the top of the tor at 13194 01835 (6hrs 30mins; less if a bike is used).
Looking across the Sneck to Ben Avon
You could return via the path running back down the Glas Allt Mor from the Sneck, but a pleasanter way to complete the route is to head south, passing over the next hill - Carn Eas - at point 1089, then descend quite steeply at first down the southern slopes of that hill. There is a high corrie here, which should be avoided as its back wall is very steep, but on either side of it are ridges where the angle is much easier. Descend over heather to join the main path just beyond a little tributary burn and follow this back past Slugain Lodge to the track.
ROUTE 2
Beinn Bhreac (931m), Beinn a’ Chaorainn (1082m)
Pronunciation:
