Munro · Cairngorms
Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag
Lochnagar — Cac Carn Beag, the cairn-topped summit at 1156m — is the great mountain of Royal Deeside, rising directly behind Balmoral Castle. The hill carries enormous cultural weight: Byron wrote about it, Queen Victoria climbed it, Prince Charles published a children's book named after it. The eastern face holds one of the most dramatic corrie cliffs in the country — a 250m wall above Lochan na Gaire that is among the most popular winter climbing venues in Scotland. The summit is a rocky tor on the rim of this great corrie.
Gaelic: “cairn-topped hill, small” · Pronunciation: lochnagar cac karn bek
Quick facts
- Height
- 1155.7m/ 3792ft
- Distance
- 19 km
- Ascent
- 1017 m
- Time
- 6–9 hrs
- Grid ref
- NO243861
- Parking
- NO309851
- Nearest city
- Dundee
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
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Standard route
Good path 45% · Mountain path 30% · Plateau rim 25%
The standard line is from the Spittal of Glenmuick car park, following the flagstoned NTS path north past Loch Muick to Glas-allt Shiel, then climbing west onto the broad south ridge of Lochnagar. Around 19km return with 1017m of ascent. A shorter alternative climbs the path direct from Spittal car park up Allt na Giubhsaich and over the Coire Loch nan Eun. Often combined with Conachcraig (Corbett) for a longer Glen Muick day.
Terrain
The NTS-maintained paths around Loch Muick are some of the best in the Cairngorms — flagstoned, well-drained and clear. The ascent path from Glas-allt Shiel is firm rocky steps. The summit area is a complex of granite tors and slabs; the highest point (Cac Carn Beag) is the smaller cairned tor 200m beyond the larger Cac Carn Mor. The corrie rim is unfenced and undercut; keep well back in mist.
In winter
A major winter climbing venue and a serious walking objective. The corrie cliffs hold classic Grade III-VI winter routes — Eagle Ridge, Parallel Gully, the Tough-Brown Ridge. Cornices form continuously along the corrie rim. The plateau is exposed to easterly snowfall and gets some of the heaviest accumulations on Deeside. The Spittal road is gritted by Balmoral estate. 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 55m
- Edinburgh2h 23m
OS maps: OS Landranger 44
Mobile signal: Good signal at the Spittal of Glenmuick car park on the B976. Signal maintained on the lower approach; weakens above 900m. Summit sometimes has Vodafone coverage.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:23
- Sunset
- 22:01
- Civil dawn
- 03:18
- Civil dusk
- 23:06
NOAA Solar Calculator · 7 June 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag.
Around Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag 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
41km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Ballater
Eastern Cairngorms / Royal Deeside
16km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Royal Lochnagar
Balmoral — Queen Victoria's favourite; eastern Cairngorms setting
5km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag — common questions
- How hard is Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag is rated 4/5 (challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 19km with 1017m of ascent and takes most walkers 6-9 hours. Terrain: The NTS-maintained paths around Loch Muick are some of the best in the Cairngorms — flagstoned, well-drained and clear.
- Where do I park for Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- Standard parking is at NO309851 near Dundee. 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 Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- The standard good-weather months for Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag 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 Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- 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 Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- Good signal at the Spittal of Glenmuick car park on the B976. Signal maintained on the lower approach; weakens above 900m. Summit sometimes has Vodafone coverage.
- Is Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag safe in winter?
- A major winter climbing venue and a serious walking objective. The corrie cliffs hold classic Grade III-VI winter routes — Eagle Ridge, Parallel Gully, the Tough-Brown Ridge. Cornices form continuously along the corrie rim. The plateau is exposed to easterly snowfall and gets some of the heaviest accumulations on Deeside. The Spittal road is gritted by Balmoral estate. SAIS Southern Cairngorms applies.
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