Cairn Toul routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 1 measured route up Cairn Toul, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Cairn Toul routes, easiest to hardest

There is one measured route so far, graded Hard. Grades run Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble.

Cairn Toul 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 Cairn Toul route

Linn of Dee via Corrour Bothy

A long walk through Glen Luibeg into the Lairig Ghru, then a climb from Corrour Bothy onto the ridge. It starts from Linn of Dee car park. 16.7 km one way with 1,036 m of ascent. About 5h 5m to the summit and 8h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Cairn Toul route GPX

This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Cairn Toul route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Cairn Toul, 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 Cairn Toul today and the Cairn Toul 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Cairn Toul 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 Cairn Toul, 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 Cairn Toul

What is the easiest route up Cairn Toul?

The one measured route listed here is Linn of Dee via Corrour Bothy (Hard).

How much time does each Cairn Toul route take?

Linn of Dee via Corrour Bothy: about 5h 5m up and 8h 25m 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 Cairn Toul 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.