Discover the wild heart of the Scottish Highlands with this comprehensive guide to over 100 walks and scrambles in the Cairngorms and around Lochnagar. From vast granite plateaux and high corries to river glens and ancient Caledonian pinewoods, the Cairngorms National Park, sitting between Speyside and Deeside, offers some of Britain's most dramatic mountain landscapes.

The guide presents routes ranging from short 2km outings to challenging 42km mountain days, graded by difficulty to help you choose options suited to your experience and ambition. Low-level riverside walks along the Spey, Nethy, Avon and Dee contrast with high-level Munro ascents and occasional scrambling routes, offering something for everyone from casual walkers to seasoned hillgoers.

• Over 100 graded walking routes across the Cairngorms and Lochnagar area, ranging from 2?42km (1?26 miles), with options for low-level paths, mid-height hills and high mountain days above 900m.
• 18 Munro summits included, with multiple ascent options described for key five peaks: Ben Macdui, Cairn Gorm, Braeriach, Cairn Toul and Lochnagar.
• Clear step-by-step route descriptions supported by 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey maps or 1:100,000 mapping, ensuring accurate navigation across open moorland, plateau and corrie terrain.
• Scrambling routes of varying grades included on selected hills, with a summary of scramble grades and guidance for tackling more technical ground.
• Detailed information on mountain bothies, facilities, access considerations and seasonal factors, including winter snow conditions and deer-stalking periods.
• Classic long routes such as the Lairig Ghru and a Cairngorms 4000s challenge, for walkers seeking extended high-level adventures.
• Easy access from centres including Aviemore and Braemar, with practical advice on accommodation, transport and route planning.

Whether you are seeking a gentle riverside stroll, a first Munro, or a demanding high-plateau traverse, this guidebook provides everything you need to explore the Cairngorms with confidence across the changing seasons.

Ronald Turnbull writes regularly for TGO, Lakeland Walker, Trail and Cumbria magazines. His previous books include Across Scotland on Foot, Long Days in Lakeland and Welsh 3000ft Challenges. He has written other Cicerone guides, Walking in the Lowther Hills and Book of the Bivvy.

A guidebook to over 100 walking routes in the Cairngorms and Lochnagar. Sitting between Speyside and Deeside the Cairngorms National Park provides the backdrop for these low- and high-level walks and scrambles suitable for a range of abilities.

Walks range from 2 to 42km (1?26 miles) and have been graded by difficulty, allowing you to select routes suitable for your ability level.

• 1:50,000 OS maps or 1:100,000 route maps included for each walk
• Includes 18 Munro summits
• Multiple summit path options are included for five hills ? Macdui, Cairn Gorm, Braeriach, Cairn Toul and Lochnagar
• Detailed information on facilities and mountain bothies
• Easy access from Aviemore and Braemar

Introduction Cairngorms: the highs and the lows Walking conditions When to go Safety in the mountains Maps How to use this book Part 1 Aviemore and the Spey 1 Grantown and Spey 2 Spey at Boat of Garten 3 Craigellachie Birches 4 Geal-charn Mor 5 Around Loch an Eilein 6 Ord Ban 7 Argyll Stone Part 2 Glen More 8 Gleann Einich and the Sgorans 9 Creag a' Chalamain and the Cat Notch 10 Down Cairn Gorm 11 Lochan Uaine 12 Meall a' Bhuachaille 13 Creag Mhor and Bynack More 14 Beinn Mheadhoin Summit Summary: Cairn Gorm 15 Bynack More and the Saddle 16 Strath Nethy and the Saddle 17 Lairig an Lui, Loch Avon, Coire Raibert 18 Lochan na Beinne and Cnap Coire na Spreidhe 19 Coire Cas (descent) 20 Coire an t-Sneachda: Headwall (scramble Grade 1) 21 Coire an t-Sneachda: Pygmy Ridge (scramble Grade 3) 22 Coire an t-Sneachda: Goat Path 23 Fiacaill Ridge of Coire an t-Sneachda (scramble Grade 1) 24 Lurcher's Crag 25 Plateau route from Macdui Shelter Stone Summary 26 Strath Nethy and the Saddle 27 Lairig an Lui, Loch Avon 28 To Coire Cas or Cairn Gorm by Coire Raibert 29 From Coire Cas by Coire Domhain 30 From Linn of Dee by Loch Etchachan 31 To Ben Macdui by Loch Etchachan 32 To Carn Etchachan by Pinnacle Gully (scramble Grade 1) 33 Forefinger Pinnacle (scramble Grade 3) 34 To Ben Macdui by Avon Slabs (scramble Grade 1 or 2) Summit Summary: Ben Macdui 35 From Lairig Ghru by Tailor Burn 36 From Derry Lodge by Carn a' Mhaim 37 Sron Riach 38 Via Derry Cairngorm 39 Coire Etchachan 40 From Coire Cas 41 Plateau route from Cairn Gorm Part 3 Badenoch 42 Badenoch Way 43 Insh to Aviemore 44 Druid Circle at Dalraddy 45 Take an Insh 46 Carn Dearg Mor 47 Mullach Clach a' Bhlair by Coire Garbhlach 48 Badan Mosach waterfall 49 Summer Road to Ruthven 50 Glen Tromie: Croidh-la 51 Creag Bheag Summit Summary: Braeriach 52 From Glenmore by Chalamain Gap and Sron na Lairige 53 From Rothiemurchus by Sron na Lairige 54 Gleann Einich and Coire Ruadh 55 Gleann Einich and Coire Dhondail 56 Coire Dhondail scramble (scramble Grade 1) 57 South Ridge of Coire Bhrochain 58 Ridge route from Cairn Toul Summit Summary: Cairn Toul 59 Coire Odhar 60 Great Moss 61 East Ridge (scramble Grade 1) 62 Northeast Ridge of Angel's Peak (scramble Grade 1) 63 Corrie of the Chokestone Gully 64 Ridge route from Braeriach Part 4 Glenlivet and Tomintoul 65 Hills of Cromdale 66 Carn Daimh 67 Around the Brown 68 Glen Brown and Ailnack Ravine 69 Ben Avon by its River 70 Tors of Ben Avon 71 Cnap Chaochan Aitinn 72 Ailnack Upper Ravine Part 5 Donside 73 Carn Ealasaid 74 Brown Cow Hill 75 Don to Ben Avon Part 6 Deeside Braemar 76 Clais Fhearnaig 77 Derry Cairngorm by Lochan Uaine 78 The Happy Face of Beinn a' Chaorainn 79 Dee and Derry 80 Around Glen Geusachan 81 The Devil's Back Side 82 Glen Quoich 83 Beinn a' Bhuird 84 Carn na Drochaide and the Fairy Glen 85 Morrone Birkwood and the Dee 86 Morrone and Glen Ey 87 Creag nan Gabhar 88 White Mounth and Jock's Road Part 7 Balmoral and Lochnagar 89 Balmoral Castle 90 Craigendarroch and the Dee 91 Around Loch Muick 92 Dubh Loch and Broad Cairn 93 Creag an Dubh-loch Summit Summary: Lochnagar 94 Queen Victoria's Ballochbuie Route 95 Byron's scramble by the Stuic (scramble Grade 1) 96 Tracks from Balmoral 97 Meall Coire na Saobhaidhe 98 Tourist path from Spittal of Glenmuick 99 Conachcraig 100 Loch na Gaire 101 Falls of Glas Allt (descent) 102 From Loch Callater The Long Routes The Cairngorms 4000s The Lairig Ghru Appendices I Route summary II Access (in particular during the deer-stalking season) III Mountain bothies IV Gaelic place names V Lists of hills VI Scrambles summary and grading VII Accommodation and information VIII Further reading