Carn Gorm

About Carn Gorm

Rising from the high, rolling plateau of the Monadhliath, this heathery summit offers a quieter alternative to its Munro neighbours. It is a place of vast, open skies and expansive views, stretching across the Spey Valley to the dramatic northern corries of the high Cairngorm range.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Gaelic Càrn Gorm, meaning 'Blue Hill' or 'Blue Cairn'. In the Highlands, the adjective 'gorm' is frequently used for mountains that appear to have a hazy, blue-grey tint when viewed from a distance across a wide strath.
• •Situated in the Monadhliath range near Newtonmore, the hill is part of a vast area of high-altitude moorland often referred to as the 'Grey Mountains' due to its rounded, mossy, and less rocky character compared to the Cairngorms.
• •From the summit, walkers are rewarded with a specific and commanding view of the northern corries of the Cairngorm plateau, including the great bowls of Coire an t-Sneachda and Coire an Lochain across the Spey Valley.
• •The terrain is typical of the Monadhliath plateau, consisting of high-level peat bogs and heather; navigating between this summit and its neighbours in mist requires a sharp eye on the compass to avoid the labyrinthine peat hags.
• •Reaching the cairn without at least one boot being claimed by a deep, black peat hag is generally considered a successful day and a mark of superior local footwork.