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Creag Leacach (987m, Munro 159)
Glas Maol (1068m, Munro 69)
Cairn of Claise (1064m, Munro 71)
Tom Buidhe (957m, Munro 204)
Tolmount (958m, Munro 202)
Carn an Tuirc (1019m, Munro 113)
Carn Aosda (917m, Munro 278)
Carn a'Gheoidh (975m, Munro 180)
The Cairnwell (933m, Munro 245)

1690m (5,550ft)
30km (19m)
running : 6hr, walking : 11hr

Highest point on A93 (NO141775)
OS landranger 43
main route summary
The easiest way to go multi-munro-bagging ! For the most part, this route follows good tracks and paths, however the areas around Tolmount and Tom Buidhe are featureless and pathless and require careful navigation in mist. With just 1,690m of ascent over a distance of 30km, the climbs are generally gentle and over grassy ground. In winter, the mountain-hares on Creag Leacach abound, darting with ease over the crisp snow. Winter also hides the ugly scars that have been created by the ski-tows.


main route outline

Getting there
Glenshee Ski Centre is just below the col on the highest point on the A93 south of Braemar. Unless skiing conditions are tolerable, there are no parking problems !

Creag Leacach
Park at highest point on the A93, just south of Glenshee ski centre. From the track that starts by the mast, aim north-east uphill for ˝km, then turn south east, still following the track. Continue up to Meall Odhar (ski-tow and cairn mark summit). Pick up a path on right just before pull up Glas Maol Path turns south and contours Glas Maol then pick up fence posts. Over grassy ground, follow posts south, watch out to avoid tripping over wires. Fence posts join a wall with a shelter at sharp turn in wall. Ground gets bouldery, follow the wall to Creag Leacach, over one bump on way - good views south from the summit cairn.

Glas Maol
Return along wall to fence posts, then continue following the posts most of way up Glas Maol. Turn east just before the hill flattens, then follow another line of posts to the large summit cairn around the trig point. Suprisingly not great views from here, due to the bulk of the summit !

Cairn of Claise
Aim north over grassy ground to pick up a track coming from the west. Stick totrack for over 2km to just under Cairn of Claise's summit boulders. A large, well-constructed symetrical cairn rises from the wall that crosses the hill.

Tom Buidhe
Follow the wall to its end, then bear due east over grassy ground. A faint path with occasional iron posts can be picked up and followed - not the easiest ground to navigate in mist ! The last km up Tom Buidhe's grassy slope is reached via a faint path. Only a small pile of stones mark the summit - not any shelter here !

Tolmount
Return for around ˝km, then take another path north-west, turning north-north-east. Pick up some iron posts to follow to the summit of Tolmount. Some boulders on this top have encouraged a larger cairn to be thrown together than that on Tom Buidhe. Amazing how close Lochnagar is from here.

Carn an Tuirc
Return south-east-south for ˝km following the fence-posts and path, turn right (west), continuing on the faint path to the lowest point. The path disappears ! Head north-west over grassy and sometimes wet ground. Climbing initially, then contouring before descending to the bealach between Cairn of Claise and Carn an Tuirc. A path is picked up, follow this, taking the lower one at the split. The path continues over easy ground to a large flat summit area, where the terrain gets more difficult. Continue over boulders and stones to the cairn of Carn an Tuirc.

Carn Aosda
Leave the cairn heading west-north-west to find a path that picks its way through the scree then the heather downhill. As the path flattens, the going gets wetter until the burn is reached. Crossing this can be slightly difficult in spate. From here, a good path winds its way following the burn back to the old bridge below the A93. Cross the road and strike directly uphill through fairly thick heather (and no path) to reach the northern arm of Carn Aosda. When the ground levels out, the heather disappears and the terrain eases, the bouldery summit is not much further !

Carn a'Gheoidh
From Carn Aosda's summit, follow the wide track around the top of the ski-tows and down the bealach. At the bealach, don't continue on the track, look for a faint path on the right. This crosses wet ground to the col between the Cairnwell and Carn nan Sac. A good path is picked up and followed south-west to the lochan. Turn around the south edge of the lochan, following a fainter path aiming directly towards Carn a'Gheoidh. The path continues to the large cairn on summit over easy ground with only one short steep section

The Cairnwell
Return to the bealach before the Cairnwell and look for a scarred path on the right scratching its way through the heather and rubble. Pick up a track which continues past the top of the chair lift and to the huts and masts on Cairnwell's summit. Although untidy, Cairnwell's summit is a fine viewpoint in all directions.

Return
From the summit strike directly downhill over steep and heathery ground back to the car-park.



Race route
Back in late 2005, I took some Carnethy Hill Running Club folk onto this route. This seemed to spark some interest from various corners about setting up a race, and the Glenshee 9 was born. Running for the first time in 2008, the route follows that described in the main route above.

More information is on the Scottish Hill Racing website page

Zoomable OS 1:50000 and 1:25000 maps are here

routes nearby
More details on the 5 munro route around Glen Ey just north
The Glen Muick circuit takes in Lochnagar to the east
Fine long days are to be had to the north on the Ben Avon and Braeraich and Cairn Toul munro groups

alternatives

Glen Ey and the Cairnwell munros
It's fairly straightforward to combine Carn a'Gheoidh, The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda with the five Glen Ey munros setting off from Baddoch.

Start by a forest plantation 6km north of Glenshee Ski Centre on the A93. Head through the gate in the deer fence, then follow the track past the house at Baddoch for 3km, to cross a burn (moderately difficult in spate), then head up a path over heather to a cairn at 720m. A path continues up heather, then boulderfield to An Socach's east summit. Head south-west, follow the plateau over more boulderfield to the two cairns on An Socach's west summit. Aim downhill on An Socach's north ridge north and cross the Allt an Odhar. Attain the summits of Carn Bhac, Beinn Iuthan Mhor, Carn an Righ and Glas Tulaichean, then head down to Loch na Eun as described in the main Glen Ey route. Climb up Carn a'Chlarsaich then head over grass then heather to the col below Carn Bhinnein. Up Carn Bhinnein, then reach the large cairn on Carn A'Gheoidh, followed by The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda as described on the left. From Carn Aosda, head north east over boulders then deep heather down to the car-park on the A93, just 2km south of the start, for a quick jog back along the road.

Ascent : 2775m, distance : 43km


Tolmount and Tom Buidhe with Dreish and Mayar
Tolmount and Tom Buidhe can be combined with Dreish and Mayar, heading in from Glen Doll, however it souldd be noted that the featureless ground will really test your navigation skills in mist.

From Glen Doll, aim up Dreish and Mayar as described in the Glen Doll route. Leave Mayar and head north-west following the fence-posts over pathless grassy ground. It's 6km on fairly featureless grass and peat-hagged ground to cross Dun Hillocks and Little Kilrannoch and arrive at Tom Buidhe. Over to Tolmount as described on left, then follow the fence posts east-north-east for 600m then turn east for 300m, and south-east to reach the small cairn on Crow Craggies. From this top, head south-east to pick up Jock's Road and follow this excellent route down, past the grassed-over shelter, down into Glen Doll and back to the car-park.

Ascent : 2375m, distance : 40km
glenshee