A' Choinneach

Tucked between the giants of Cairn Gorm and Bynack More, this high, mossy plateau offers a quieter perspective on the Northern Cairngorms. Reached via the steady climb from Glenmore, its broad, wind-scoured summit provides an exceptional vantage point over the wild, trench-like depths of Strath Nethy and the granite tors beyond.

• •The name is Scottish Gaelic for 'The Mossy One' (A' Chòinneach), an apt description for the vast, springy carpet of moss and lichen that covers this high-altitude plateau.
• •The Garbh Allt, a headwater of the River Nethy, rises on the western slopes between this summit and Cairn Gorm before tumbling north toward the Great Forest of Abernethy.
• •While often bypassed by those heading straight for the Munro summit of Bynack More, it serves as an excellent high-level detour that grants a more intimate look at the dramatic glacial trench of Strath Nethy.
• •From the summit, the view northeast is dominated by the Barns of Bynack, a series of spectacular, weathered granite tors that look like ruined fortresses against the horizon.
• •Navigating the broad, featureless plateau in a Cairngorm 'white-out' offers a masterclass in why your compass should never be buried at the bottom of your pack.