High Level Walking

There is so much to discover as you go higher up in the Cairngorms. There are endless routes to suit all tastes and abilities. Below are descriptions of the most popular hill sets…but don’t let this limit you!

A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over 3,000ft (914m). There are currently 282 Munros, 58 of which are in the Cairngorms. The best known Munro is Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles. Popular Munros from Ballater include Mount Keen (the most easterly) and Lochnagar. A walk up Lochnagar can be tied into a walk to Broad Cairn, a horseshoe route called The White Mounth taking in 5 Munros.

The Corbetts are mountains in Scotland between 2,500ft and 3,000ft (762m and 914.4m) high, with at least 500 feet (152.4m) of descent on all sides. There are currently 222 Corbetts, 28 of which are in the Cairngorms. The two closest Corbetts to Ballater are Morven and Conachcraig.

The Grahams are mountains in Scotland between 2,000ft and 2,499ft (610m and 762m) high, with at least 150 metres (490 feet) of descent on all sides. There are currently 221 Grahams, 14 of which are in the Cairngorms. The two closest Grahams to Ballater are Geallaig Hill and Mona Gowan.

The Donalds are mountains in the Scottish Lowlands over 2,000ft (610m). There are currently 89 Donalds, none of which are in the Cairngorms.