Càrn a' Gheòidh
Encyclopedia
Càrn a' Gheòidh is a Scottish
mountain situated 15 km south of the town of Braemar
. Its summit stands on the border between the council areas of Perth and Kinross
and Aberdeenshire
.
and a Marilyn
. It is a very accessible hill and when climbed from the Glenshee Ski Centre
along with the adjacent mountains of The Cairnwell
and Càrn Aosda
makes for a very easy round of three Munros for the peak bagger
. The mountain is not easily seen to good effect from any main road being completely hidden from the summit of the A93 road
by The Cairnwell and Càrn Aosda. It is quite modest in appearance with the smooth slopes of the summit rising unpretentiously above the surrounding high moorland and the hills long ridges. The best views of Càrn a' Gheòidh are obtained from nearby peaks. The mountain's name translates as “Hill of the Goose”, the explanation of which is hard to explain, although Loch Vrotachan which lies two km to the NE may have had geese nesting on it at some time.
between The Cairnwell and Càrn Aosda at the top of Butchart‘s corrie. The highest point of this ridge is Càrn nan Sac (920 metres), a subsidiary top of Carn a' Gheoidh formerly listed in the Munros Tables before being deleted in 1981. There are also two small lochans midway along the ridge. Another ridge goes west and then SW from the summit to connect to the Munro “Top” of Càrn Bhinnein (917 metres), this is a more distinct peak than the main summit and has steep rocky slopes which fall SW into upper Gleann Taitneach.
Ridges also go north and south from the summit, the northern ridge descends to the valley of the Baddoch Burn. To the south, a broad crest descends for five km over the subsidiary tops of Càrn Mòr (876 metres) and Creagan Bheithe (759 metres) reaching a col with a height of around 600 metres which connects to the Corbett Ben Gulabin. All drainage from Carn a' Gheoidh goes to the east coast of Scotland, however the mountain stands on the divide of the drainage basin
s of the River Tay
and the River Dee
with rainfall reaching the North Sea
at Aberdeen
or the Firth of Tay
more than 80 km apart.
(grid reference ) and ascends by the southern ridge, this walk can be combined with ascent of the Corbett Ben Gulabin. The summit of the mountain is marked by a cairn of boulders and a circular wind shelter. Carn a' Gheoidh is the highest point for several kilometres and gives a good uninterrupted view of the Cairngorms
and the Beinn a' Ghlò massif.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
mountain situated 15 km south of the town of Braemar
Braemar
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an altitude of ....
. Its summit stands on the border between the council areas of Perth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross is one of 32 council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy Area. It borders onto the Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee City, Fife, Clackmannanshire, Stirling, Argyll and Bute and Highland council areas. Perth is the administrative centre...
and Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
.
Overview
Càrn a' Gheòidh reaches a height of 975 metres (3199 feet) and is classified as both a MunroMunro
A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over . They are named after Sir Hugh Munro, 4th Baronet , who produced the first list of such hills, known as Munros Tables, in 1891. A Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a separate mountain...
and a Marilyn
Marilyn (hill)
A Marilyn is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or Isle of Man with a relative height of at least 150 metres , regardless of absolute height or other merit...
. It is a very accessible hill and when climbed from the Glenshee Ski Centre
Glenshee Ski Centre
Glenshee Ski Centre is the largest ski resort in Scotland and is sometimes referred to as the Scottish three valleys. It is located in Aberdeenshire and to the north of Spittal of Glenshee, on the A93 road between Blairgowrie and Braemar in the southern Highlands of Scotland...
along with the adjacent mountains of The Cairnwell
The Cairnwell
The Cairnwell is a mountain in the Eastern Highlands of Scotland, south of Braemar. It is often considered to be one of the most spoiled of the Munros, due to the Glenshee Ski Centre which covers the eastern slope of the mountain....
and Càrn Aosda
Càrn Aosda
Càrn Aosda is a Scottish mountain situated 12.5 km south of the town of Braemar, in the county of Aberdeenshire. It stands near the summit of the Cairnwell Pass on the A93 road, in the midst of the Glenshee Ski Centre.- Overview :...
makes for a very easy round of three Munros for the peak bagger
Peak bagging
Peak bagging is an activity in which hillwalkers and mountaineers attempt to reach the summit of some collection of peaks, usually those above some height in a particular region, or having a particular feature.Peak bagging can be distinguished from highpointing...
. The mountain is not easily seen to good effect from any main road being completely hidden from the summit of the A93 road
A93 road
The A93 is a major road in Scotland and the highest public road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from Perth through Blairgowrie and Rattray, then through the Grampian Mountains by way of Glenshee, the Cairnwell Pass and Glen Clunie to Braemar in Aberdeenshire...
by The Cairnwell and Càrn Aosda. It is quite modest in appearance with the smooth slopes of the summit rising unpretentiously above the surrounding high moorland and the hills long ridges. The best views of Càrn a' Gheòidh are obtained from nearby peaks. The mountain's name translates as “Hill of the Goose”, the explanation of which is hard to explain, although Loch Vrotachan which lies two km to the NE may have had geese nesting on it at some time.
Geography
Càrn a' Gheòidh has a three km long NE ridge which connects to the colMountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
between The Cairnwell and Càrn Aosda at the top of Butchart‘s corrie. The highest point of this ridge is Càrn nan Sac (920 metres), a subsidiary top of Carn a' Gheoidh formerly listed in the Munros Tables before being deleted in 1981. There are also two small lochans midway along the ridge. Another ridge goes west and then SW from the summit to connect to the Munro “Top” of Càrn Bhinnein (917 metres), this is a more distinct peak than the main summit and has steep rocky slopes which fall SW into upper Gleann Taitneach.
Ridges also go north and south from the summit, the northern ridge descends to the valley of the Baddoch Burn. To the south, a broad crest descends for five km over the subsidiary tops of Càrn Mòr (876 metres) and Creagan Bheithe (759 metres) reaching a col with a height of around 600 metres which connects to the Corbett Ben Gulabin. All drainage from Carn a' Gheoidh goes to the east coast of Scotland, however the mountain stands on the divide of the drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s of the River Tay
River Tay
The River Tay is the longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in the United Kingdom. The Tay originates in western Scotland on the slopes of Ben Lui , then flows easterly across the Highlands, through Loch Dochhart, Loch Lubhair and Loch Tay, then continues east through Strathtay , in...
and the River Dee
River Dee, Aberdeenshire
The River Dee is a river in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It rises in the Cairngorms and flows through Strathdee to reach the North Sea at Aberdeen...
with rainfall reaching the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
at Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
or the Firth of Tay
Firth of Tay
The Firth of Tay is a firth in Scotland between the council areas of Fife, Perth and Kinross, the City of Dundee and Angus, into which Scotland's largest river in terms of flow, the River Tay, empties....
more than 80 km apart.
Ascents
The most popular and easiest ascent of Càrn a' Gheòidh starts at the Glenshee Ski Centre on the A93 road (grid reference ). The starting altitude at the centre is 640 metres giving an easy vertical ascent of just over 300 metres, the route going west through the ski area to reach the head of Butchart’s corrie and then along the NE ridge, which initially skirts the lip of the steep Coire Dhirich, then passing over Càrn nan Sac to reach the summit. A longer southern approach (14 km) which avoids the Glenshee SkI Area starts at Spittal of GlensheeSpittal of Glenshee
left|thumb|Standing stone at Spittal of GlensheeThe Spittal of Glenshee lies at the head of Glenshee in the highlands of eastern Perth and Kinross, Scotland where the confluence of many small streams flowing south out of the Grampians form the Shee Water...
(grid reference ) and ascends by the southern ridge, this walk can be combined with ascent of the Corbett Ben Gulabin. The summit of the mountain is marked by a cairn of boulders and a circular wind shelter. Carn a' Gheoidh is the highest point for several kilometres and gives a good uninterrupted view of the Cairngorms
Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland closely associated with the mountain of the same name - Cairn Gorm.-Name:...
and the Beinn a' Ghlò massif.