Ben Macdui

Britain’s second highest peak, at 1,309m, towers directly above the deep glacial gouge where the Upper Dee valley becomes the Lairig Ghru. It is part of Britain’s highest landmass, the central Cairngorm plateau, with its unique sub-Arctic eco-system and superb 360° view across the high ridges of the range and toward Speyside to the west. From the top you look directly into the huge Garbh Choire cirque between Braeriach and Cairn Toul on the far side of the deep Upper Dee glen.  

Walkers can approach Ben Macdui from Speyside, usually starting from the carpark on Cairn Gorm’s north-west flank, in a minimum of 16km/8hr round trip; or in a very long day from Deeside – a minimum of 27km/10.5+hrs – up Glen Lui and the Sron Riach Ridge or along the wonderful Carn a’Mhaim Ridge; or after crossing the very rough Derry Cairngorm. Possibly the most gorgeous and varied of all approaches is via Loch Etchachan to the east, be it from Glen Derry or Loch Avon, or up the Avon Slabs from Loch Avon.

You can approach by mountain bike from Deeside up Glen Derry or part-way up Glen Lui and then walk in.

Those willing to camp overnight can approach from the Corrour hut in the Upper Dee Valley, the Derry Lodge area at the junction of Glens Lui and Derry, or the Loch Avon area, via routes which include the dramatic Avon Slabs. Or, indeed, wherever else you chose to camp.

However you approach, the summit plateau is a bouldery, forbidding place, lonely out of season and sinister when the mist is down.

Ben Macdui is part of a high plateau, so, unless you slog up the Tailor Burn or one of the other paths up the steep slopes from the Upper Dee/ Lairig Ghru, you will have some long but lovely high – country tramping.

This is demanding walking in remote mountains with uncertain weather. It can be very dangerous in bad weather, as it has great cliffs and crags to its west and east, and the plateau has more of them at its other edges. Come fully prepared, including to descend quickly if the weather deteriorates.

The Cairngorms: Walks, Trails and Scrambles – Cicerone. As usual, a brilliantly researched book covering 102 fantastic walks of all shapes and sizes, including several on Ben Macdui. And written by the at times poetic Ronald Turnbull.

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See much more information and photos on our Cairngorms page.