Carn a' Gheoidh

One of three hills (the other two being The Cairnwell and Carn a' Gheoidh) which are near the summit of the A93 road between Glen Shee and Braemar. The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda rise directly above the road, and with Butchart's Corrie between them they form the western half of the Glen Shee ski area. Their slopes above the road are covered with ski tows and snow fences, which make them visually the least attractive of Scottish hills, but they are also the two easiest Munros to climb. By contrast, Carn a' Gheoidh is a more remote and unspoiled hill, the highest point between Gleann Taitneach and Gleann Beag, the two northern continuations of Glen Shee.

The ascent of these three hills is an easy day, for it involves little ascent if one starts from the top of the road. From a point opposite the large carpark climb south-west up quite steep slopes of heather and heath with a few patches of scree to reach The Cairnwell. Go north-west past the top of the chairlift along the ridge above the ski slopes for 1 kilometre and then turn west and south-west along another ridge over Carn nan Sac to Carn a' Gheoidh. Return along this ridge and descend to the col at the head of Butchart's Corrie, from where Carn Aosda is climbed by its south-west ridge. The quickest descent is to go south down ski tracks to reach the road at the Ski Centre.

(Copyright The Scottish Mountaineering Club)