Beinn Mheadhoin Summit Tors

Characterised by the distinctive granite tors that line the broad crest of its huge whaleback form, Beinn Mheadhoin is a remote mountain right in the wild heart of the Cairngorms. One of the highest points in Britain, hikes to Beinn Mheadhoin are long but rewarding, taking you to treasures unseen by the less determined walker.

A remote giant set amid Cairngorm splendour

Beinn Mheadhoin can be approached from the Aviemore region in the north or from the Linn of Dee in the south. Whatever you choose, you are in for a testing expedition into a gloriously untamed landscape. Accommodation options and amenities are plentiful in the Aviemore region, whilst the Linn of Dee can also cater for your needs.

Many of the finest walking routes to Beinn Mheadhoin go by way of beautiful Loch Avon. The loch is the centre of an awesome arena, penned in by precipitous slopes and huge crags, whilst burns tumble down granite slabs from its upper reaches.

If you’re after a particularly atmospheric wild camp, at the loch’s western end is the Shelter Stone, a natural refuge that has had its insides converted into something resembling habitation by generations of walkers and mountaineers.

Beinn Mheadhoin’s true summit is on top of one of its synonymous tors: huge fists of granite left behind when the ancient glaciers retreated. A simple scramble gets you up and from there you can drink in immense views of the sub-Arctic Cairngorm plateau. It is the great valleys between these hulking giants that give the view its gloss, emphasizing the scale of this vast landscape.

The distances involved, extreme weather and navigational challenges posed by the high Cairngorms mean that only experienced and equipped mountaineers should attempt the summits during full winter conditions.