Graham · Cairngorms
Carn Glas-choire
Carn Glas-choire (659m) — the cairn of the grey corrie — is a broad, open Monadhliath outlier in the NH89 square, north-east of Carrbridge. The cairn and ground-trig sit on a vast peat plateau looking out over Speyside to Cairn Gorm, with the Moray Firth a pale line to the north.
Gaelic: “cairn-topped hill, grey-green, corrie” · Pronunciation: karn glass chor-a
Quick facts
- Height
- 659.4m/ 2163ft
- Distance
- 13 km
- Ascent
- 540 m
- Time
- 4–6 hrs
- Grid ref
- NH891291
- Parking
- NH830260
- Nearest city
- Inverness
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
No GPX track yet
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Standard route
heather moorland 65% · grass and sedge 25% · rocky summit 10%
Begin from the lay-by on the minor road south-east of Dulsie Bridge, taking the estate landrover track up Glen Brown. After three kilometres the track fades — climb pathlessly south-east through deep heather and bog onto the rounded summit dome. The cairn appears suddenly out of the peat hags.
Terrain
Good landrover track lower down, then a vague quad rut and waist-deep heather across the watershed. Peat hags and groughs riddle the summit area — useful to take a bearing to and from the cairn even on clear days.
In winter
The Monadhliath plateau here ices up in cold easterlies blowing off the Cairngorms. The peat hags fill with hard wind-slab and visibility on the featureless dome can fail completely. A reliable bearing and an early start are the keys; the day is short this far north in midwinter.
This hill is in the Northern Cairngorms SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 12m
- Edinburgh3h 4m
OS maps: OS Landranger 35, OS Landranger 36
Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Monadhliath plateau north of Carrbridge; weak on all networks.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:29
- Sunset
- 21:57
- Civil dawn
- 03:26
- Civil dusk
- 23:00
NOAA Solar Calculator · 31 May 2026
Around Carn Glas-choire on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Aviemore station
Cairngorm plateau; Lairig Ghru; Speyside Way; Glenmore
16km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Aviemore
Cairngorms base — Strathspey valley, ski centre, train
16km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Tomatin
Tomatin — large Highland distillery just off the A9, south of Inverness
10km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Carn Glas-choire — common questions
- How hard is Carn Glas-choire?
- Carn Glas-choire is rated 4/5 (challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 13km with 540m of ascent and takes most walkers 4-6 hours. Terrain: Good landrover track lower down, then a vague quad rut and waist-deep heather across the watershed.
- Where do I park for Carn Glas-choire?
- Standard parking is at NH830260 near Inverness. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.
- When is the best time to climb Carn Glas-choire?
- The standard good-weather months for Carn Glas-choire are March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.
- Can I bring my dog up Carn Glas-choire?
- Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
- Is there mobile signal on Carn Glas-choire?
- Poor. Remote Monadhliath plateau north of Carrbridge; weak on all networks.
- Is Carn Glas-choire safe in winter?
- The Monadhliath plateau here ices up in cold easterlies blowing off the Cairngorms. The peat hags fill with hard wind-slab and visibility on the featureless dome can fail completely. A reliable bearing and an early start are the keys; the day is short this far north in midwinter.