Cairn Toul

About Cairn Toul

Dominating the western wall of the Lairig Ghru, the UK's fourth-highest peak offers a truly alpine experience. This massive Munro is defined by its deep, shattered corries and a vast, boulder-strewn plateau. Reaching its remote summit requires a long trek through the heart of the Cairngorms’ most dramatic glacial scenery.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Gaelic Càrn an t-Sabhail, meaning 'Hill of the Barn'. While the comparison isn't immediately obvious from the summit, its massive, steep-sided profile appeared barn-like to early surveyors looking up from the lower glens.
• •At 1,291 metres, Cairn Toul is the fourth-highest mountain in Britain. It sits on the massive western rampart of the Cairngorms, separated from the highest peak, Ben Macdui, by the deep glacial trench of the Lairig Ghru.
• •The summit offers perhaps the most dramatic perspective in the Highlands, looking directly across the chasm of the Lairig Ghru to the Great Corrie of Ben Macdui and the dark, hidden Pools of Dee far below.
• •The mountain is almost always tackled alongside its neighbours, The Devil's Point and Sgòr an Lochain Uaine (The Angel's Peak). This classic traverse of the western massif involves significant boulder-hopping and roughly 1,500m of total ascent.
• •Nestled directly below the mountain’s eastern cliffs is Corrour Bothy. Originally a deer watcher's hut built in 1877, it now serves as a vital refuge for walkers attempting the long trek into the heart of the range.
• •The boulder fields on the final ascent are so vast and uneven that they can make even the most expensive pair of walking boots feel like a pair of thin slippers by the time you reach the cairn.