Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm Circuit

Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm Circuit is a hard, high-level loop from Cairngorm Mountain’s Coire Cas base. It climbs toward the Northern Corries, crosses the open plateau to Ben Macdui, returns past the corries to Cairn Gorm, then descends by Ptarmigan and Windy Ridge. The complete mapped line is 12.3 miles (19.7 km), with about 930 m of ascent; plan on around eight to nine hours including stops. Published walking descriptions call the circuit 11 miles, so this mapped version is longer. Check the line and allow for the extra distance before setting out.

This is a serious mountain day for walkers comfortable with exposed upland terrain and navigation. Coire Cas is both start and finish. The first climb is broad, but the route gets boggier and rockier higher up; the main Ben Macdui spur crosses a boulderfield where the path becomes hard to pick out. Carry a map and compass and know how to use them. Cloud, snow or poor light make this open plateau much harder to cross.

From the car park, climb the ridge above the Northern Corries toward Cairn Lochan, then continue across the plateau to Lochan Buidhe and Ben Macdui. The walk to Ben Macdui is a short spur: turn back to the main line rather than carrying on toward the Lairig Ghru. Cross the Feith Buidhe headwaters and skirt the edge of Stob Coire an t-Sneachda before climbing to Cairn Gorm. Finish by descending north to Ptarmigan and following Windy Ridge back to Coire Cas. The two-summit circuit uses a stretch of the same path twice around the Ben Macdui spur.

The route starts on a more obvious path and crosses Allt Coire an t-Sneachda on stepping stones. Higher up, the ground flattens and can be boggy. Around Lochan Buidhe the tread fades among large stones, and the plateau gives few close landmarks when cloud closes in. This is not a marked summit stroll: keep track of the line across the broad ground, especially near the steep corrie edges. The high, exposed terrain and long distance make the weather and your navigation skills part of the route choice.

Ben Macdui is 1,309 m high and Britain’s second-highest mountain. Its broad, stony top has a large cairn, trig pillar and view indicator. On a clear day, look across the Lairig Ghru toward Cairn Toul and Braeriach. The views feel wide rather than enclosed; the plateau’s scale is part of the experience. A short wander around the summit can open a better angle across the surrounding peaks.

Cairn Gorm is lower, but its summit gives a sharper view down over Rothiemurchus Forest and the Northern Corries. The route’s high traverse makes the contrast especially clear: long open ridges on one side, steep corrie walls on the other. The summit trig point and its stone shelter make a good foreground against the plateau.

The circuit crosses the headwaters of Feith Buidhe, where a school party was caught in a blizzard in November 1971. Five pupils and their 18-year-old instructor died; two members survived. The tragedy is part of the plateau’s history and a reminder of how quickly exposed Cairngorm terrain can become dangerous when conditions turn.

Reindeer and snow buntings are sometimes seen on the higher ground, though neither is guaranteed. Ben Macdui is also linked to the Old Grey Man, Am Fear Liath Mòr, a figure from local mountain folklore said to haunt the summit. Dogs are allowed under Scotland’s responsible access rules; keep yours under close control around wildlife.