Cairn Gorm

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Cairn Gorm is one of the best known summits in Scotland, and despite not being the highest has lent its name to this whole mountain range. It has heavily developed for ski-ing and by the funicular railway to the Ptarmigan restaurant, detracting greatly from its wildness and the experience of climbing it on foot.

You have not climbed Cairn Gorm.

Region: Cairngorms

Altitude: 1245 metres

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Detailed route description and map

Cairn Gorm via the Northern Corries

Ben Macdui and Cairngorm from the ski centre

The Fiacaill Ridge scramble to Cairn Lochan and Cairn Gorm

Other routes and challenges

The quickest ascents are from the ski centre car park, either via Windy Ridge (described as the descent route above) or via the Fiacaill a' Choire Chais path branching off the track to the Ptarmigan restaurant. For scramblers, the Fiacaill Coire an t-Sneachda ridge provides a popular Grade 1 scramble.

The epic challenge hereabouts is the ascent of the Cairngorm 4000ers, best accomplished from Speyside. Ascend Brariach via the Chlamain Gap from the Sugar Bowl car park, head round to Cairn Toul and then Corrour Bothy. Use the Allt Clach nan Taillear route onto Ben Macdui, then continue to Cairngorm and back down to the ski centre.

Panoramic summit view (click to open)

Users' walk reports for Creag an Leth-choin [Lurcher's Crag]

There are 19431 Walkhighlanders who have climbed Cairn Gorm. They have contributed 233 public walk reports including this summit. These are ordered below with the most popular ones first. The rightmost column shows how many summits were included in their report, which may help you to find the most relevant reports.

Walk report	Author	Date walked	Likes	Hills
Nine days, Nine 4000'ers, Eh eight guys, a ton of porridge.	Euan McIntosh	9/6/15	44	M10C1
nostalgia time in the Cairngorms	mrssanta	3/8/83	38	M2C1
A Cairngorm blast.	2manyYorkies	15/7/21	26	M6
Big day circular from Cairngorm Mount and Cairn Gorm twice!	goingforawii	15/6/19	20	M8
Top Ten Charity Challenge - 10 Highest Munros in a Weekend	jupe1407	13/6/14	19	M11
Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm, 1st Munros	sarahejones	8/10/14	18	M2
The Cairngorm 4000ers on a hot August holiday weekend.	jimbell21	24/8/19	16	M6
Routes Less Travelled: B.Macdui and Cairngorm via Loch Avon	Anne C	20/6/22	15	M2
Cairngorms: 4 days, 3 bothies, 6 Munros.	rorymch	28/3/17	14	M6
In search of the Grey Man on Ben Macdui	keithwilcox	19/8/16	14	M2
Weasel's Cairngorm Tops Adventure	weaselmaster	13/9/14	14	M10
The Fiacaill Ridge, a Cairngorm wild camp and Ben Macdui....	wilkiemurray	21/7/13	12	M2
Fogbows on Macdui - Times like these!	Sunset tripper	17/10/20	11	M2
Amongst the Monadh Ruaidh	weaselmaster	1/9/13	11	M13
I thought that I was alone on the great plateau.	gaffr	12/2/10	11	M2
Introduction to Torridon and chasing an inversion	skullhead	31/5/23	10	M3
Overnight camping in the Cairngorms - a beginners guide	Mountainlove	29/8/19	10	M2
A day worth waiting for	dogplodder	10/6/23	9	M1
Beautiful Cairngorms views:Ben Macdui & Cairn Gorm revisited	Petr Dakota	27/8/19	9	M2
Bynack More and Cairn Gorm (back to my early playgrounds)	Bod	5/6/12	9	M2
Cairngorms: great day in gale via Loch Avon, really summer ?	Petr Dakota	16/7/16	8	M3
Amazing sunrise, blue skies and squeaky bum scrambling in CG	tombombadilio	3/11/15	8	M3
A Cairngorm Circular - to Braemar and back	Old Bill	9/9/15	8	M7C1
Upside-down in the Northern Cairngorms	malky_c	17/1/15	8	M2
7 Munros and 1 Graham	Gareth M	11/8/22	7	M7
Evening in the Gorms - taking my idiot for a walk!	Jaxter	1/6/19	7	M1
A touch of frost	weaselmaster	5/11/17	7	M5S4
There's no business like snow business!	jonny616	22/9/12	7	M2
Cairn Gorm Winter Circuit - El Alamein to Lurcher's Crag	go spazieren	10/12/24	6	M1
Ben Macdui solo trip!	Rebecca Knowles	2/9/23	6	M2
The Top Ten in 24 hours (nearly!)	skullhead	13/8/23	6	M10
Blowin' in the Wind	Jaxter	23/2/19	6	M1S1
6 Highest UK Peaks In 24 Hours	ittakesguts	30/7/16	6	M6
Gorms wander - Avon slabs & Cairngorm	basscadet	29/8/15	6	M1
The 3 Bens Challenge	scoob999	10/8/12	6	M6
The boring Cairngorm Mountain	Vick1	12/2/12	6	M1
Into the Cairngorms...	rvrscum	16/6/11	6	M4
My Sisters first and 2nd Munro Ben MacDhui and Cairngorm	Ray Mackay	22/4/11	6	M2
Mounting the Old Man	ArchieMacMunro	29/4/22	5	M2
From Golden Autumnal Afternoons to White Wintry Blasts	weaselmaster	20/10/19	5	M2C4F1
Lairig Ghru Munros Two-Dayer, 7 Summits	Gstonebanks	15/7/18	5	M7
Camping High & Icy Winter Milestones - Andrew Squared	andygunn23	24/3/18	5	M3
Cairngorm	seamus0	19/1/18	5	M1
First contact with CairnGorm: wet, cold, running nose...	nilnilx	24/9/17	5	M1
Cairn Gorm Snowhole	mgmt!	15/3/15	5	M1
5 Cairn Gorms, Snow blowers and an Ice Berg in June!!!	scottishkennyg	14/6/13	5	M5
Cairn Gorm and Ben Macdui under Blue Skies	GariochTom	25/5/13	5	M2
Ben Macdui, Cairn Gorm	gman	18/2/13	5	M2
up and down Cairn Gorm	litljortindan	22/9/24	4	M1
The Fast, The Slow and The Mountains - Cairn Gorm	Meiklie Mist	1/3/24	4	M1
4 days and 8 Munros in the Cairngorms by public transit	FearCearc	6/2/22	4	M8
Beinn a'Chaorainn and Beinn Bhreac from Cairngorm Ski Centre	gld73	8/9/21	4	M3
First Time Exploring the Cairngorms - 4000s (plus 2)	The Rec	6/9/20	4	M7
Cairngorm 4000s and others over 2 days	lachlantm	24/8/19	4	M8
Brilliant day in Cairngorms.	mamoset	28/3/17	4	M2
Cairn Gorm - Easy view & Family on half way	Petr Dakota	29/9/14	4	M1
Cairngorm, Clag & a good deed	Fife Flyer	19/7/14	4	M1
Cairngorms Wild Camp, With Reindeer for Company.	Border Reiver	9/7/14	4	M1
Wild Camping above the parallel roads with Pygmys as an Afte	wilkiemurray	3/5/14	4	M1C2
Coire an t-Sneachda, the plateau and Cairn Gorm	HalfManHalfTitanium	5/8/13	4	M1
Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm	johnkaysleftleg	31/7/13	4	M2
Deck Chairs in the Snow on Ben Macdui	dektasker	22/9/12	4	M2
Total Solitude in the Cairngorms	L-Hiking	19/6/12	4	M2
My First EVER Winter Munro & A Perfect Round Of 4	prophetofdom	12/2/12	4	M2
Ben Macdui - My very first Munro	ally63	11/1/12	4	M2
A perfect day, until I broke my leg	Amycox	24/6/23	3	M4
First munros.	kingrivv	18/10/22	3	M2
Cairngorm 4000s Plus a Little Extra...	03oroc	17/8/22	3	M7
4 days and 3 nights Cairngorms epic	ridge blunderer	26/5/22	3	M11
The perfect day?	PaulAgnew	29/3/22	3	M2
Cairngorms Family Hike in a windy day.An Adventurous Weekend	Petr Dakota	25/9/21	3	M1
Ben Macdui and Cairngorm.. Beautiful Views but no Grey Man..	Coutts94	23/8/20	3	M2
Cairngorm Galore	BlackPanther	17/5/19	3	M1
Snow in September on the cold blue mountain	dogplodder	30/9/17	3	M1
You're so Mheadhoin! (...but at least no longer Gorm-less)	bobble_hat_kenny	24/6/17	3	M2
Ben Macdui & Cairn Gorm from the North an excellent walk	The Rodmiester	10/9/16	3	M2
Macdui and Cairn Gorm in autumnal splendour	Allyw	20/10/15	3	M2
The unfit, unprepared tacling the 10 Highest Munros in 5 day	Beam	21/6/15	3	M11
Bynack More & Cairn Gorm	PathfinderPaul	13/7/14	3	M2
Cairngorms Circuit	J888ohn	31/7/12	3	M3
beeing turned back off cairn gorm	nbrannigan	25/7/12	3	M1
Cavorting in the Cairngorms	basscadet	21/4/12	3	M3
Fiacaill Ridge then 4 Munros	alex_140	29/2/12	3	M4
Bum slide and green nuts	Merry-walker	6/3/11	3	M1
Chritmas on Ben Macdui	mountaineagle	24/12/10	3	M2
Bynack More and Cairn Gorm	Stretch	9/10/10	3	M2
Snowy Cairn Gorm: Plan D or was it Plan E?	uk-scrambler	14/4/23	2	M1
Creag Mhòr - long option, via Cairn Gorm	dharbott	16/2/23	2	M1C1
A Plea for the Return of Trolls	weaselmaster	19/9/21	2	M3C3F1
CairFree at the Cairngorms	Craig 7483	17/7/21	2	M3
3 Cairngorm Munros and a Walk in Lairig Ghru	ScotFinn65	1/6/19	2	M3
Winter wonderland (in May)	U059361	12/5/19	2	M2
Summer on the plateau (in February)	malky_c	24/2/19	2	M1
Cairngorm - my maiden Munro :)	Fingal2018	29/4/18	2	M1
Windy Weekend in the Cairngorms	weaselmaster	24/9/17	2	M3
Beinn Mheadhoin	Niall-Adam	25/8/16	2	M5
Misty scrambling and Eight Tops around Cairn Gorm	Driftwood	18/6/16	2	M2
Topping up the sun tan.	Guinessman	20/10/15	2	M7
Ben Macdui & Cairn Gorm	SecretSquirrel	28/6/15	2	M2
Cairn Gorm - The Tourist Trail	Gordie12	28/8/14	2	M1
Bynack More to Cairngorm	teaandpies	19/5/14	2	M2
Running up (almost) Ben Macdui and up Cairn Gorm	linei	28/4/14	2	M1
Cairn Gorm and the Northern Corries	Veloepic	3/7/13	2	M1
Cairngorm Style	gordon l	20/4/13	2	M2
Cairngorms 8 tops ski tour in 24 hours	Roger Wild	31/3/13	2	M8
Glen Lyon 4	Huck Finn	15/3/13	2	M4
Glenmore lodge winter skills weekend day 1	Physicistinboots	16/2/13	2	M1
A quick step and scotch hop across Cairn Gorm and Ben MacDui	dektasker	30/6/12	2	M2
A Cairngorm Adventure Pt II – aka breaking my ‘Golden Rule’	PeteR	4/3/12	2	M1
Cairngorm (via Fiacaill Ridge)	foggieclimber	19/12/11	2	M1
From dawn till dusk; just mac du it...	andrewdoggett	19/11/11	2	M4
Cairn Gorm - with the boys	malky_c	27/7/11	2	M1
Ben Macdui, Beinn Mheadhoin and Cairn Gorm	csimbad	11/6/11	2	M3
Cairn Gorm, Beinn Mheadhoin and Ben Macdui	Mrs T	10/9/09	2	M3
Munro Twenty Four	Chris Henshall	23/7/76	2	M1
Cairngorm and Ben Macdui	johnbythell	15/9/24	1	M2
Cairn Gorm via The Windy Ridge	Hike Perthshire	26/5/24	1	M1
Glenmore weekend (with Cairn Gorm)	Malcadicta	10/9/23	1	M1
Cairn Gorm and the Northern Corries	malky_c	7/5/23	1	M1
Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm at Dusk	CWhite14	14/11/22	1	M2
Cairngorms adventure	badders2	29/6/21	1	M9
Cairn Gorm Wander, the first of many we hope!	JungleJus	20/9/20	1	M1
Ben Macdui & Cairngorm	vonda85	2/8/20	1	M2
Cairn Gorm	Lapka88	20/1/20	1	M1
Back to Bynack, plus Cairn Gorm.	JimboJim	1/8/18	1	M2
Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm	sirjonnyp	20/5/18	1	M2
Glorious sunshine in the Cairngorms	SpamFritter	6/5/17	1	M2
The Bynack bypass to Cairn Gorm	scottnairn	2/5/17	1	M2
A "Perfect Day", some reindeers, and Cairn Gorm	Joehill	24/9/16	1	M1
Cairn Gorm	Majorbunting	17/2/16	1	M1
Fiaciall Ridge, Beinn Mheadhoin & Cairn Gorm = a big day out	edinburgh36	15/8/15	1	M2
A recce to the Shelter Stone	Silverhill	1/6/15	1	M1
Braeriach 4 + 3, + 10 kg firewood, Corrour overnighter	Dommie	30/11/14	1	M7
Central Cairngorms Circuit	Katrina	9/8/14	1	M3
A swin in Loch Avon and 3 Munros	David Lyall	25/7/14	1	M3
Sometimes, not often, but sometimes.....	RossMC	30/5/14	1	M1
Munro bagging with a cafe stop?	arobinson840	28/9/13	1	M2
A Cairngorm epic - day 1 Cairngorm to Loch Etchachan	Flo-go	15/7/13	1	M3
A Blowy Cairn Gorm	AlexFrood	26/3/13	1	M1
Bynack More to Cairn Gorm	fipriestley	3/8/12	1	M2
Ben Macdui & Cairngorm	StephenT	31/7/12	1	M2
Cairn Gorm & Ben Macdui	gyles	28/7/12	1	M2
Ben Macdhui & Buggering my Ankle	kylie12	21/7/12	1	M2
Cairngorm visit via the quiet sector.	gaffr	28/4/12	1	M1
Aviemore to Linn of Dee via Cairngorm and Ben Macdui	Scotshiker	19/4/12	1	M1
50+ at 30 Part 3: Bynack More between to slices of Cairngorm	SMRussell	24/3/12	1	M2
Cairngorms Ben Macdui and Cairn gorm	quoman	12/11/11	1	M2
corrour bothy to cairngorm via carn a mhaim and macdui	d gwynn	5/10/11	1	M3
Creag Mhor & Cairn Gorm but foiled again by Beinn Mheadhoin	Graeme D	22/7/11	1	M1C1
Finally lost my (Cairgorms) virginity	Driver84	19/6/11	1	M2
Mayday in the Caingorms - Ben MacDui & Cairn Gorm	jwramsay	2/5/11	1	M2
Cairn Gorm via Coire an t-Sneachda	Milesy	13/10/10	1	M1
Bynack More & Cairn Gorm	Alastair S	8/8/10	1	M2
Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm	BethAtTheHug	20/6/10	1	M2
Cairngorm wanderings (inc Cairn Gorm & Loch Avon)	HighlandSC	31/5/10	1	M1
The missionary returns	Stainless	17/10/09	1	M2
Ben Macdui & Cairngorm	Scotshiker	22/8/09	1	M2
Ben Macdui (North) Beinn Mheadhoin, Cairn Gorm	Myth	2/6/08	1	M3
QMD 1	higgins0421	23/10/22	0	M2
Up in the clouds (again)	Josephxtian	12/10/21	0	M2
Surprise snow on Cairngorm	jdloki	29/5/21	0	M1
An evening above the Northern Corries	malky_c	1/6/19	0	M1
An amazing day in The Cairngorms - The Fiacaill Ridge	wilkiemurray	17/4/19	0	M1
Ben Macdui and Cairngorm	m0ns00n	11/8/18	0	M2
Fiacaill romp	Pensioner	26/7/18	0	M1
Cairn Gorm & wild swim in Loch Morlich	ere1	14/7/18	0	M1
Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm	bacon1981	9/6/18	0	M2
Ascent of Cairngorm	gabypilson	13/3/18	0	M1
Cairn Gorm, 45 years on. Crampon use!!	Les Deakin	18/2/18	0	M1
Cairngorm and Ben Macdui	viktorhauk	14/11/17	0	M2
Cairn gorm	adambarras	27/4/17	0	M1
Cairn Lochan and Cairngorm (but no Fiachaill :( )	matt_outandabout	5/1/17	0	M1
Cairngorms Sauchiehall Street	ngm1scot	27/8/16	0	M2
Overnighter in the Cairngorms and not quite as I'd planned	alexberry	19/8/16	0	M3
Ben Macdui and Cairngorm	andy63	10/8/16	0	M2
Cairn Gorm	Johnoneill1916	1/7/16	0	M1
A great day on the Cairngorm plateau	pacol	6/6/16	0	M2
Cairn Gorm, Beinn Mheadhoin, Ben Macdui	Somerled87	5/6/16	0	M3
Cairn Gorm	Craiging619	4/10/15	0	M1
A walk in the Cairngorms	Guswelsh	7/8/15	0	M7
Cairngorm clamber & canter	Scott Strachan	24/7/15	0	M3
Cairngorm Via Fiacaill ridge and beyond.	davetherave	18/7/15	0	M4
A day in the sun and snow	scotdavid63	29/12/14	0	M2
Braeriach - Macdui - Cairngorm - Bynack More Circuit	dannyblue	1/5/14	0	M8
Ben Hope - Akin To Having Your Parents Turn Up Unannounced	Backpacker	31/3/14	0	M2
Cairn Gorm, an ugly scar on a lovely hill	ilovescotty	19/1/14	0	M1
Cairn Gorm, no Northern Corries, and wishing for my gloves!	MusicalHiker	14/9/13	0	M1
Cairn Gorm - First Munro.	hexagon	10/8/13	0	M1
Best route up Cairn Gorm for sure	HSThst	12/7/13	0	M1
Carn Gorm climbed	slow-walker	8/7/13	0	M1
A wander in the Cairngorms	jackfrost	22/6/13	0	M4
Inversions on the Blue Mountain nice wee wind down	Collaciotach	9/6/13	0	M2
2 days at Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms	clivew	16/2/13	0	M1
11th & 12th Munroes 1st winter walk (Ben Macdui & Cairngorm)	paulbritish	26/11/12	0	M2
October snow on the Cairn Gorm corries	denfinella	20/10/12	0	M1
Ben Macdui followed by Cairn Gorm	railton22	15/7/12	0	M2
Cairn Gorm only	thunderchocolate	11/7/12	0	M1
HUB 2012	webbie88	10/3/12	0	M1
winter wonderland - cairngorms	paul2610	11/12/11	0	M1
Ben Macdui and Cairngorm via loch Avon	pigeon	24/9/11	0	M2
A Cairngorm Romance	madrock289	31/8/11	0	M2
Two from the Ski Centre	porty	25/8/11	0	M2
Cairngorm	ally1978	10/8/11	0	M1
Cairn Gorm	dugred	6/8/11	0	M1
ben Macdui via loch avon	paul2610	18/7/11	0	M2
Rainy day on Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm	FeartyTim	21/6/11	0	M2
cairngorm and ben macdui	mikeandnat	4/6/11	0	M2
Johnny Corbett & Mountain Thyme in the Cairngorms with Doug	Johnny Corbett	20/4/11	0	M2
My first post - Macdhui	chegp	15/4/11	0	M2
Cairn Gorm Winter Challenge - Aviemore Weekend	dooterbang	12/3/11	0	M1
Ben Macdui & Derry Cairngorm from the ski centre	baggervance	5/11/10	0	M2
Cairngorm	Tam Collie	18/10/10	0	M1
2 Hikes, 1 Ride, 9 Peaks, (21-9), 17th to 21st September	Mark Berry	21/9/10	0	M9
No longer a "gorms virgin"	gammy leg walker	12/9/10	0	M2
If Carlsberg did sunny days for a mountain walk....	weescotsman	30/8/10	0	M2
Cairn Gorm (success!) and Ben Macdui (fail!)	Lossie Loon	3/8/10	0	M1
Cairn gorm	chieftain41	10/7/10	0	M1
cairngorm overnighter	madrock289	17/6/10	0	M3
Cairn Gorm & a winter skills course	EACHANN AN DOIRE	20/2/10	0	M1
3 Day Cairn Gorm Winter Xped	gazzmatron	15/2/10	0	M1
Ben Macdui	tmobyrne	23/1/10	0	M2
Cairn Gorm	alanmurray	7/11/09	0	M1
Cairn Gorm	baggervance	2/11/09	0	M1
Cairn Gorm on a fine October day	Ken Kennedy	16/10/09	0	M1
Cairn Gorm and Ben Macdui	weemistermac	11/10/09	0	M2
Bynack More and Cairn Gorm	Kozmik	27/9/09	0	M2
3rd Munro- Cairn Gorm easy route.	DJG78	24/9/09	0	M1
Cairn Gorm (return via Coire an t-Sneachda)	HighlandSC	5/9/09	0	M1
CAIRNGORM SUCCESS, BEN MACDUI -FAIL	blueyed	26/8/09	0	M1
Cairn Gorm 6th June	munrowalker	7/6/09	0	M1
Ben Macdui and Cairngorm	bio-man	5/5/09	0	M2
Both sides of the Lairig Ghru	Benaden887	12/6/93	0	M7
Cairn Gorm: my first Munro	paulatthehug	1/1/70	0	M1

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