Peaks
Cairngorm (1,244m) – Munro
- Ascent: 614m
- Distance: 6.4km
- Duration: 3.5 – 4 hours
- Terrain: Well-maintained footpath; rock steps lower down, gravel further up
- Steepest gradient: 25° (right at the lowest part of the walk)
- Exposure: none; broad paths and gentle slopes throughout
Cairngorm is at 1,244m the 6th highest peak in the UK. Unlike when bagging Ben Nevis – the highest one – you have one huge advantage here: Instead of starting at sea level, you start at an altitude of 620m, cutting the effort of climbing Cairngorm in half.
Thanks to the generous head start and a straightforward path all the way to the top, Cairngorm is one of the most accessible Munros. The route described here is the shortest and most direct way up to the summit. It can be easily extended to a longer hillwalking adventure along the impressive Northern Corries.
You start in the car park 
at Cairngorm Mountain Ski Centre. Head to the left side of the car park a few dozen metres before the day lodge, where a stone staircase leads up to a small platform. Take the stairs up and turn right on the path, heading towards the Day Lodge and passing it by eventually.
Past the mast of a ski lift, you arrive at a junction 
, where a signpost indicates the “Windy Ridge Path” to the left. Follow this path, climbing more or less awkward stone stairs 
. Eventually, the gradient eases, and you see the Ptarmigan Station further up.
Stay on this path leading along the ski slopes until you reach Ptarmigan Station 
. Walk around the building to the main entrance. Take the path to the right that leads further up the mountain, and ignore the lower paths to its left and right side.
Follow this well-made path up to the top, where you soon emerge on the summit of Cairngorm 
– well identifiable by the massive comms mast and the concrete building which houses a weather station. After you have enjoyed the views, the quickest way back down is to go back the same way you have come up.