Highest car park when doing a munro

[doggy]

someone once told me that there is a munro where you park your car about 300m short of the summit, is this true?
I know the car park at Ben Lawers is about 500m so is there any higher?

Thanks.

[The Rodmiester]

someone once told me that there is a munro where you park your car about 300m short of the summit, is this true?
I know the car park at Ben Lawers is about 500m so is there any higher?

Thanks.

Suggest it might be at Glenshee.

[doggy]

Oh the ski centre ?

[Caberfeidh]

Aaarrr, I agree with the Glen Shee ski car park hypothesis,Carn Aosda being a close peak; you can even get a chairlift higher if ye so wish. Across the road another chairlift takes you up the other side to Glas Maol. The Nevis Ranges ski gondola whisks you up to just over two thousand feet, which is nice. The Lecht is very high up, but lacks impressive peaks around it. The Glen Coe Mountain Resort across from the Kingshouse also takes non-skiers up into the hills from the car park (nice soup in the café there). Only the Cairngorm lot seem stuffy about it.

[Sgurr]

Once you get to Marilyns, there are several in Englandshire where you can drive right up to the top. (Or near the top of one which is in someone's garden) And in Shetland you can drive right up to the MOD barbed wire which protects the summit of Saxa Vord., and another couple of drive-ups to communication masts perched on Marilyns: Fitful Head and Ward of Scousburgh. In Wales there is a Marilyn summit on a MOD firing range which you should not approach when the red flag is flying. Otherwise it is only a 500 ft horizontal shuffle to the summit with very little ascent, but the nervousness surrounding that experience has obliterated its name in my memory.

[OpenC]

It'll be Glenshee ski centre and Carn Aosda / Cairnwell, aye (car park is nearly 700m up, and Carn Aosda is one of the smallest ones.. the ascent can't be much more than about 250m I wouldn't have thought). Cairngorm ski centre car park is almost as high but of course the munros around there are a bit bigger

[mrssanta]

Ben Nevis. In 1911 a Model T Ford was driven to the top.

Took 5 days though, and he pushed it a lot of the way. He'd have been better off walking!

[doggy]

I bet it was faster coming down.

[Caberfeidh]

Took us ages...

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1043&p=5488&hilit=+Carruthers#p5212

[Caberfeidh]

Aaaarrr, them was the days, being chauffeur ~ driven to the tops o' hills whilst quaffin' rum in the back seat wi' Lady Astor....

[Dave Hewitt]

It'll be Glenshee ski centre and Carn Aosda / Cairnwell

The top of the pass is higher than the ski centre - you drop to the ski centre buildings if coming from the south. So climbing the Cairnwell from the pass is pretty much the same in terms of height gain as climbing Carn Aosda from the cafe. The former (according to my ancient Pathfinder map) is 665m up to 933m, ie 268m, while the latter is a touch over 650m to 917m, ie just under 267m - close enough that it makes no odds.

The Cairnwell route is shorter in distance and is surely quicker, especially as the Aosda direct route involves weaving through a couple of ski fences which don't always have gaps where you want them. When I was young and keen, 30 years ago, I once walked up the Cairnwell from the top of the pass in 14 minutes - I'm pretty sure the same rate of progress would require longer for Carn Aosda from the cafe.

Both hills are better, if longer, from elsewhere - the Cairnwell south ridge is a pleasant way up/down, as is the Aosda north ridge.

[al78]

I think the Cairnwell pass wins, this is the highest main road in Britain (670m asl) and the munros either side of the summit are the most accessible in Scotland. The Cairngorm ski centre is over 600m asl and Cairngorm summit is a short walk, but is nearly 300m higher than the Cairnwell and Carn Aosda next to the Cairnwell/Glenshee pass so much more ascent from the car.

[WalkWithWallace]

I got to to the top the Cairnwell in just over 20 minutes from the higher carpark. No easier Munro IMHO.

[rockhopper]

I got to to the top the Cairnwell in just over 20 minutes from the higher carpark. No easier Munro IMHO.

Took me a bit longer despite taking a direct route up - and the reason you ask ? I realised that I'd forgotten my camera and had to retrace my steps back to the car - searched everywhere and eventually found it....on the car roof

[Glengavel]

It'll be Glenshee ski centre and Carn Aosda / Cairnwell

The top of the pass is higher than the ski centre - you drop to the ski centre buildings if coming from the south. So climbing the Cairnwell from the pass is pretty much the same in terms of height gain as climbing Carn Aosda from the cafe. The former (according to my ancient Pathfinder map) is 665m up to 933m, ie 268m, while the latter is a touch over 650m to 917m, ie just under 267m - close enough that it makes no odds.

The Cairnwell route is shorter in distance and is surely quicker, especially as the Aosda direct route involves weaving through a couple of ski fences which don't always have gaps where you want them. When I was young and keen, 30 years ago, I once walked up the Cairnwell from the top of the pass in 14 minutes - I'm pretty sure the same rate of progress would require longer for Carn Aosda from the cafe.

Both hills are better, if longer, from elsewhere - the Cairnwell south ridge is a pleasant way up/down, as is the Aosda north ridge.

We did the latter option last week, starting from Baddoch up to Carn Aosda, then The Cairnwell and finishing with Càrn a' Ghèoidh. I think it made for a nicer day than the up-and-down from the ski centre.