Cairn Gorm
| Meaning: | From the Gaelic, blue hill |
| Munro Region: | The Cairngorms |
| Munro Number: | 6 |
| Height in Metres: | 1244 metres |
| OS Map Reference: | OS Sheet 36, GR: 005040 |
Standing at the highest point of the northern edge of the central Cairngorms massif, Cairn Gorm itself is very prominent in views of these mountains from Speyside. Its rounded dome rises above the bowl of Coire Cas, with the narrow Coire na Ciste to the north-east and the very fine Coire an t-Sneachda and Coire an Lochain - the Northern Corries - to the south-west.
The easy access provided by the public road to Coire Cas makes Cairn Gorm one of the easiest of the Munros to climb. It is possible to go by car and chairlift to only 160 metres below the summit, but most hillwalkers use the access road and start their climb from the carpark at a height of 625 metres. From there the shortest route is up the ridge on the east side of Coire Cas, but an equally good way goes up the Fiacaill a' Choire Chais, the ridge on the west side of the corrie.
A good extension to this very short climb is to go south-west along the edge of Coire an t-Sneachda to Cairn Lochan. From there continue round the west side of Coire an Lochain to return below these corries to the carpark.
(Copyright The Scottish Mountaineering Club)
- 1. Loch Lomond to Loch Tay
- 2. The River Tay to Rannoch Moor
- 3. Strath Orchy to Loch Leven
- 4. Loch Linnhe to Loch Ericht
- 5. The Drumochter Hills
- 6. The West Mounth: Blair Atholl to Braemar
- 7. The East Mounth: Glen Shee to Mount Keen
- 8. The Cairngorms
- 9. Glen Roy to the Monadhliath
- 10. Loch Eil to Glen Shiel
- 11. Glen Affric and Kintail
- 12. Glen Cannich to Glen Carron
- 13. Cuillin and Torridon
- 14. Loch Maree to Loch Broom
- 15. Loch Broom to Easter Ross
- 16. Coigach to Cape Wrath
- 17. The Islands
