Ben Macdui routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 2 measured routes up Ben Macdui, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Ben Macdui routes, easiest to hardest

Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.

Ben Macdui route times by Naismith's rule

The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.

Each Ben Macdui route

Cairngorm ski centre via Cairn Lochan

A path climbs past Coire an t-Sneachda to Cairn Lochan, then crosses the plateau south to the summit. It starts from Cairngorm ski centre car park (Coire Cas). 10.4 km one way with 952 m of ascent. About 3h 40m to the summit and 5h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Linn of Dee via Loch Etchachan

A long walk to Derry Lodge and up Glen Derry, then a climb past Loch Etchachan to the summit. It starts from Linn of Dee car park. 17.5 km one way with 1,221 m of ascent. About 5h 30m to the summit and 9h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Ben Macdui route GPX

This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Ben Macdui route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Ben Macdui, plan the route in the route planner (or import a GPX you already have), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.

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Before you pick a route

The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Ben Macdui today and the Ben Macdui 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Ben Macdui routes

The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.

Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

If you are new to Ben Macdui, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.

Questions about Ben Macdui

What is the easiest route up Ben Macdui?

The route from the Cairngorm ski centre car park climbs onto the plateau and crosses it south. It is long but on a clear path.

How much time does each Ben Macdui route take?

Cairngorm ski centre via Cairn Lochan: about 3h 40m up and 5h 45m there and back. Linn of Dee via Loch Etchachan: about 5h 30m up and 9h 0m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.

Can I get a GPX file for a Ben Macdui route?

Not from this page. In the Peakify iPhone app, plan the route in the route planner (or import one), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.