The Cairngorms are a unique piece of landscape in Scotland. Unlike the peaky and rugged hills further west, the Cairngorms are round whalebacks that seem to stretch endlessly.
They make up most of the Cairngorms National Park – the largest National Park in the UK. You will find some of the remotest peaks here within one of the few remaining true wildernesses in Scotland.
Standing on the featureless and often wind-swept plateau, looking over a sea of rocky giants and experiencing a real sense of remoteness and solitude are moments that will stay with you forever.
Hillwalks in the Cairngorms
The hillwalks below are sorted into different categories according to their difficulty, as well as the fitness level and experience needed to tackle them.
Please note, however, that they are only valid for hillwalking in summer conditions. What might be a relatively easy hillwalk on a sunny day in June can be a huge challenge when snow and ice are involved – especially when you don’t have the necessary winter hillwalking equipment and the skills to use it correctly.
Also, the following criteria don’t necessarily have to apply all the time. If a short walk would tick all of the typical numbers in the “easy”-category, but has very challenging terrain to cross, it better fits the “moderate”- or “challenging”-category. So, please, take these criteria only as rough guidance and always read the detailed descriptions of the walk you’re interested in.
Typical numbers
- Ascent: up to 800m
- Distance: up to 10km
- Duration: up to 5 hours in total (including breaks)
Typical terrain
- Walk is on well-trodden paths that are obvious
Typical numbers
- Ascent: up to 1.000m
- Distance: up to 15km
- Duration: between 5 and 7 hours
Typical terrain
- Walk is on well-trodden paths that are obvious for most of the way
- Pathless sections may be encountered
- Steeper and more challenging terrain (muddy slopes, bog holes/peat hags)
Typical numbers
- Ascent: up to 1.500m
- Distance: up to 20km
- Duration: between 7 and 9 hours
Typical terrain
- Approach is on well-trodden paths that are obvious for most of the way
- Pathless sections or no paths up the hill or on the plateau
- Various types of challenging terrain (muddy slopes, bog holes/peat hags, scree slopes, boulder fields)
- Sections with moderate exposure may be encountered
Typical numbers
- Ascent: 1.500m+
- Distance: 20km+
- Duration: between 9 and 12 hours
Typical terrain
- Approach and hill paths not always obvious
- Various types of challenging terrain (deep heather on approach and on the slopes, muddy slopes, bog holes/peat hags, scree slopes, boulder fields)
- Sections with moderate to severe exposure may be encountered
- Light scrambling may be necessary to tackle some steep sections
Typical numbers
- Ascent: 1.500m+
- Distance: 25km+
- Duration: 2 days+
Typical terrain
- All kinds of terrain may be encountered from well-trodden paths to challenging sections