ケアンゴーム山脈の峡谷・トップ4

A route down to the riverside and the Duchess of Gordon Monument.

A fun rocky pass through the hillside. Care is needed and would be difficult to pass with small dogs or children. Even a walk through here is a thrilling day out. This can however be a very dangerous spot in winter, with snow building up around the gap.

Beautiful gorge with almost wild sheep on the side road to Spey

Adds an interesting feature to an otherwise straightforward walk. Large boulders underfoot with gaps in between, dogs would likely need carried for most of it.

If you're hiking through the boulder-strewn jaws of the Chalamain Gap, odds are you are headed somewhere spectacular. This rocky defile connects the popular Cairngorm ski area with the magical Lairig Ghru – the great cleft through the heart of the Cairngorms. Properly known as Eag Choire a Chomhlaich, the Gap can be an awkward obstacle but nowhere is it overly technical.

Technical and challenging descent that follows the ravine and river line down to the memorial hut. It's loose with drainage bars and challenging rock features. Well worth doing if you're experienced and confident on a bike.

less as a recommendation than as a warning! This piece is very, very uncomfortable, especially with a heavy backpack, the way through the Lairig Ghru is comparatively a walk. Doing a few more meters of altitude and going pathlessly over the Creag a' Chalamain is worth considering!

Gorgeous, technical, astonishing, bouldery and difficult. All words that adequately describe the Lairig Ghru from a mountain bike perspective. Yes, there are times when it becomes so bouldery you'll likely need to carry, but the payoffs are well worth it, both in terms of the sense of accomplishment riding the thing and also in the ridiculously, epically picturesque environment.