Munro · Cairngorms
Carn a' Gheoidh
Càrn a' Gheoidh (976m) — "hill of the goose" — is the western Munro of the Cairnwell cluster at Glenshee, completing a quick three-Munro round with The Cairnwell and Càrn Aosda from the ski-centre car park. Despite the modest height the hill sits at the western end of a long broad ridge running out into the upper Glen Fernate country, so the round can be extended significantly. The summit is unremarkable but the access is exceptionally fast.
Quick facts
- Height
- 976.1m/ 3202ft
- Prominence
- 299 m
- Distance
- 13 km
- Ascent
- 595 m
- Time
- 5–6 hrs
- Grid ref
- NO107767
- Parking
- NO139780
- Nearest city
- Perth· 53km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).
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Standard route
Ski infrastructure / track 30% · Open hillside 45% · Summit 25%
Park at the Glenshee ski-centre car park on the A93 (the highest paved pass in Britain at 670m). Walk west onto Càrn Aosda — the first Munro, reached past the ski-area infrastructure. Follow the broad ridge west via Càrn nan Sac to Càrn a' Gheoidh (the western Munro), then drop north-east back to The Cairnwell to finish the round. Roughly 13km in total with 600m of climb for the three-Munro Cairnwell round — one of the easiest Munro days in Scotland.
Terrain
The ski-area access is firm gravel road. The path between the three Munros is broad mossy turf and gravel — easy walking but featureless. The Càrn a' Gheoidh summit is a small cairn on a flat broad area. Navigation across the plateau in cloud is the main challenge of the day. The Cairnwell summit has communications masts; ski-area infrastructure is ever-present.
In winter
A popular winter Munro round and a major ski-touring venue. The broad summits drift heavily and cornices form along the western corrie rims. The A93 corridor and ski-centre car park are reliably accessible in normal winter conditions. The Glenshee ski centre operations may close in adverse conditions. SAIS Southern Cairngorms applies.
This hill is in the Northern Cairngorms SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 36m
- Edinburgh2h 12m
OS maps: OS Landranger 43
Mobile signal: Good signal at the Glenshee ski centre car park. Above 900m signal weakens. The western approach from Glen Fernate has no signal.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:56
- Sunset
- 21:45
- Civil dawn
- 04:01
- Civil dusk
- 22:40
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Carn a' Gheoidh.
Around Carn a' Gheoidh on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Pitlochry station
Schiehallion, Ben Vrackie, Beinn a Ghlo, Edradour distillery
24km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Pitlochry
Perthshire base — Schiehallion, Beinn a Ghlo, Ben Vrackie
24km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Royal Lochnagar
Balmoral — Queen Victoria's favourite; eastern Cairngorms setting
22km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Carn a' Gheoidh — common questions
- Is Carn a' Gheoidh a hard climb?
- Carn a' Gheoidh is rated 4/5 (challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 13km with 595m of ascent and takes most walkers 5-6 hours. Terrain: The ski-area access is firm gravel road.
- How prominent is Carn a' Gheoidh?
- Carn a' Gheoidh has 299m of topographic prominence — the height of its summit above the highest col connecting it to higher ground.
- Where should I park to climb Carn a' Gheoidh?
- Standard parking is at NO139780. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.
- When should I climb Carn a' Gheoidh?
- The standard good-weather months for Carn a' Gheoidh are May, June, July, August, September, October. 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 a' Gheoidh?
- On a lead only — the route crosses ground with livestock or nesting-bird interest.
- What's mobile reception like on Carn a' Gheoidh?
- Good signal at the Glenshee ski centre car park. Above 900m signal weakens. The western approach from Glen Fernate has no signal.
- Is Carn a' Gheoidh safe in winter?
- A popular winter Munro round and a major ski-touring venue. The broad summits drift heavily and cornices form along the western corrie rims. The A93 corridor and ski-centre car park are reliably accessible in normal winter conditions. The Glenshee ski centre operations may close in adverse conditions. SAIS Southern Cairngorms applies.
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