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Walking the Big Hills of the Cairngorms

Cairngorm Hills - Walking the Munros

There are few true wilderness areas in the UK and the Cairngorms is one of them. The area so much admired for the scenery in mid summer when the sunset is on the hills, it is transformed into an arctic environment in mid winter. This is the contradiction of the Cairngorms; the most mild and magical place in the country one day, but inhospitable on another.

The Cairngorms national park was established in 2003 and was the second such park in Scotland. It covers the area between A9 is west, Grantown in north, Ballater in east and the Angus Glens in south. This includes 4 out of 5 of the highest hills in the UK as well as 55 'Munros'.

This site contains routes up all of the 58 Munros in the Cairngorms. A Munro being a hill over 2000ft first categorised by Sir Hugh Munro and regularly updated. The current list is maintained by the SMC. The area is characterised by high plateau giving pleasant walking over long distances with a sense of solitude and remoteness, especially if the walker keeps away from the high summits around the middle of the day.

The hills can be climbed from a base in Aviemore and the Spey Valley or Braemar. Although some of the starting points can be a bit of a drive. Many of these routes are serious expeditions from either of these centres and a night or two wild camping may be in order to achieve some of the summits. Just make sure that you choose one with a good weather forecast.

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