Carn an t-Sagairt Mor

About Carn an t-Sagairt Mor

Tucked within the vast White Mounth plateau near Braemar, this Munro offers a stark, high-altitude character. Famous for the scattered wreckage of a 1956 Canberra jet crash near its summit, the terrain features expansive stony slopes and impressive views across the dark waters of Dubh Loch toward the cliffs of Lochnagar.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'Càrn an t-Sagairt Mòr,' meaning 'Cairn of the Great Priest.' It likely refers to a clergyman who used the high-level passes between Braemar and the glens to the south, though his specific identity remains a mystery.
• •The mountain is the site of a well-known aviation tragedy; in 1956, an RAF Canberra jet crashed into the hillside during a training flight. Large, recognizable sections of the aircraft, including wings and engine parts, remain strewn across the plateau near the summit.
• •It is a central component of the 'White Mounth' circuit, a classic long-distance outing from Glen Muick that allows walkers to traverse five Munros in a single high-level loop.
• •The summit provides an exceptional perspective of the massive granite cliffs of Lochnagar to the east, while to the south, the ground drops away steeply into the dramatic glacial trough of the Dubh Loch.
• •Finding a jet engine at 1,000 metres is an effective, if somewhat startling, way to confirm you have successfully navigated the plateau in a thick mist.