Munro · Cairngorms
Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach
Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach — "cairn of the beautiful corrie" — is the 1110m Munro on the White Mounth plateau west of Lochnagar. The summit is a small cairn on a featureless expanse of granite gravel and arctic-alpine vegetation — among the broadest plateau summits in the country. The hill is rarely visited alone; almost every ascent forms part of a multi-Munro round with Lochnagar, Carn an t-Sagairt Mor and the other White Mounth peaks.
Gaelic: “cairn-topped hill, of the, corrie” · Pronunciation: karn uh chor-a bhoidheach
Quick facts
- Height
- 1109.9m/ 3641ft
- Prominence
- 73 m
- Distance
- 18 km
- Ascent
- 977 m
- Time
- 6–9 hrs
- Grid ref
- NO226845
- Parking
- NO309851
- Nearest city
- Dundee· 57km
- 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
Glen track 35% · Open moorland 35% · Summit plateau 30%
The classic line is the Lochnagar / White Mounth round from Spittal of Glenmuick, traversing Lochnagar first then continuing west across the plateau to Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach, Carn an t-Sagairt Mor and back. Around 24km return with 1100m of cumulative ascent for the full four-Munro plateau. The 18km/977m figures are for a single-summit out-and-back via the Allt na Giubhsaich.
Terrain
The Glenmuick paths are well-built NTS routes onto the plateau. The plateau itself is granite gravel and short alpine turf — featureless on a misty day, demanding compass-only navigation. The summit cairn is small and easy to miss without GPS. No exposure on the plateau but multiple cliff edges drop sharply into Coire na Cnaige and the Lochnagar corrie.
In winter
A serious winter day on featureless arctic plateau. The White Mounth in whiteout is a classic Scottish navigation challenge; the corrie rims around Lochnagar are corniced through the season. Balmoral keeps the Glen Muick approach road clear in most snow 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 52m
- Edinburgh2h 21m
OS maps: OS Landranger 44
Mobile signal: No signal on the White Mounth plateau. The Glen Muick road has intermittent coverage. Download maps in Ballater before setting off.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:08
- Sunset
- 21:31
- Civil dawn
- 04:16
- Civil dusk
- 22:23
NOAA Solar Calculator · 30 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach.
Around Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach 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
38km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Ballater
Eastern Cairngorms / Royal Deeside
18km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Royal Lochnagar
Balmoral — Queen Victoria's favourite; eastern Cairngorms setting
8km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach — common questions
- Is Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach a hard climb?
- Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 18km with 977m of ascent and takes most walkers 6-9 hours. Ground conditions: The Glenmuick paths are well-built NTS routes onto the plateau.
- How much drop does Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach have?
- The drop is 73m: measured from the summit of Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
- Where's the parking for Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach?
- 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 Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach?
- Aim for May, June, July, August, September, October on Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach. 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 Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach?
- 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 Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach?
- No signal on the White Mounth plateau. The Glen Muick road has intermittent coverage. Download maps in Ballater before setting off.
- Is Carn a' Choire Bhoidheach safe in winter?
- A serious winter day on featureless arctic plateau. The White Mounth in whiteout is a classic Scottish navigation challenge; the corrie rims around Lochnagar are corniced through the season. Balmoral keeps the Glen Muick approach road clear in most snow conditions. SAIS Southern Cairngorms applies.
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