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
- Prominence
- 671 m
- Distance
- 19 km
- Ascent
- 1017 m
- Time
- 6–9 hrs
- Grid ref
- NO243861
- Parking
- NO309851
- Nearest city
- Dundee· 58km
- 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
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
- 04:54
- Sunset
- 21:44
- Civil dawn
- 03:59
- Civil dusk
- 22:40
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 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 difficult is Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag carries a 4/5 (challenging) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 19km, 1017m of ascent and a 6-9 hour day on the standard route. Ground conditions: The NTS-maintained paths around Loch Muick are some of the best in the Cairngorms — flagstoned, well-drained and clear.
- How much drop does Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag have?
- The drop is 671m: measured from the summit of Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
- Where's the parking for Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- Park at NO309851. Double-check the grid reference on an OS map first; informal laybys here fill early in high season.
- What's the best month to climb Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- Aim for May, June, July, August, September, October on Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.
- Can dogs go up Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag?
- Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.
- Will I get phone 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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