I stood at the car park below Glen Shee Ski Centre, rain soaking through my collar, looking at four Munros spread across a plateau that looked featureless on the map. I’d already made one mistake that day — I’d trusted the forecast. By the time I reached the summit of Carn an Tuirc, I was navigating by compass in thick cloud, having missed the path entirely. That was five years ago. I’ve done this circuit eight times since, and I’ve stopped making the same stupid errors. Here’s what I actually learned.
Why This Circuit Exists and Who It’s For
This isn’t a hidden gem. The four Munros — Carn an Tuirc (1019m), Cairn of Claise (1064m), Glas Maol (1068m), and Creag Leacach (987m) — sit on the eastern edge of the Cairngorms, accessible from the A93 at the Glenshee Ski Centre. They’re popular because they offer a relatively compact day out: roughly 14km and 900m of ascent if you do them as a circuit from the ski centre car park.
The fundamental problem this route solves is simple: you want to bag multiple Munros in a day without committing to a full traverse of the Lairig Ghru or a multi-day expedition. These four hills form a rough loop, and the terrain is mostly gentle plateau walking. But that’s also the trap. The plateau is a whiteout hazard. I’ve seen groups with no compass wander into the wrong glen, adding hours to their day.
The Real Barrier: Navigation, Not Fitness
Anyone with reasonable fitness can walk 14km with 900m ascent. But the navigation on this circuit is harder than the elevation suggests. The summits are broad, the paths are faint in places, and the descent from Creag Leacach back to the car park involves a steep, pathless slope through heather and boulders. If you can’t navigate in poor visibility, don’t attempt this circuit in a cloud. I learned that the hard way.
Who Should Skip This
If you want dramatic, rocky ridges, skip this. Go to the Aonach Eagach or the Cuillin Ridge. This circuit is for Munro baggers who want a steady day on grass and gravel, not for scramblers. If you only have one day in the Cairngorms and want a classic view, do the Cairn Gorm–Ben Macdui traverse instead. This circuit is a numbers game, not a beauty contest.
Route Breakdown: The Order That Works
Every guidebook says the same thing: start at the Glenshee Ski Centre car park, go up the access road, and follow the path to Carn an Tuirc. That’s fine. But the order matters for wind exposure and navigation. Here’s the sequence I use every time, and why.
| Section | Distance | Ascent | Time | Key Hazard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car park to Carn an Tuirc summit | 3.5 km | 450 m | 1.5–2 hrs | Losing the path in mist above 800m |
| Carn an Tuirc to Cairn of Claise | 2.5 km | 80 m (undulating) | 45–60 mins | Boggy ground between summits |
| Cairn of Claise to Glas Maol | 2 km | 100 m | 30–45 mins | Faint path, featureless terrain |
| Glas Maol to Creag Leacach | 2 km | 50 m (descent then re-ascent) | 30–45 mins | Steep, pathless descent from Glas Maol |
| Creag Leacach descent to car park | 4 km | – (losing 650m) | 1.5–2 hrs | Steep heather/rock slope, ankle-twisting |
| Total | 14 km | ~900 m | 5.5–7 hrs |
The Descent From Creag Leacach: Don’t Follow The Map Blindly
The map shows a path heading southeast from Creag Leacach’s summit, dropping into Coire Loch Kander. That path exists — barely. It’s a faint trod through deep heather, and it’s easy to lose. I’ve watched people follow the ridge too far east and end up above the steep cliffs of the corrie. The safer descent is to head south-southeast from the summit, aiming for the line of old fence posts that run down the shoulder of the hill. Those fence posts are your lifeline. Once you hit the lower slopes, pick up the track that runs beside the Allt Coire Loch Kander burn. That track leads directly back to the car park. If you can’t find the fence posts, do not descend into the corrie. Retrace your steps to Glas Maol and descend via the ski tow path instead. It’s longer, but it won’t kill you.
The Three Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To)
I’ve messed this circuit up multiple times. Here are the specific failures, with the exact consequences.
Mistake 1: Trusting The Path Exists
On my first attempt, I assumed the path from Carn an Tuirc to Cairn of Claise would be a clear trod. It’s not. Between these two summits, the ground is a flat, grassy plateau with scattered boulders. In mist, it’s a white void. I walked past Cairn of Claise by 400 metres before I realised my bearing was off. The fix: take a bearing from Carn an Tuirc’s summit cairn to the cairn on Cairn of Claise (bearing 355° magnetic). Follow that bearing. Do not trust your eyes.
Mistake 2: Underestimating The Bog
The ground between Carn an Tuirc and Cairn of Claise is wet. In spring and autumn, it’s deep bog. I once sank to my knee in a peat hagg. My boots filled with water. The rest of the day was miserable. The fix: wear gaiters and boots with a high rand. I use the Scarpa Terra GTX (£200) — they have a full rubber rand that keeps the peat out. Don’t wear trail runners on this section unless it’s been dry for three weeks.
Mistake 3: Descending Too Early From Creag Leacach
The steep descent from Creag Leacach looks tempting — you can see the car park below and want to head straight for it. That’s a trap. The direct line is a slope of loose boulders and heather tussocks. I twisted my ankle on a hidden rock and limped the last 2km. The fix: follow the fence posts southeast until the gradient eases, then traverse left (northeast) to pick up the track. It adds 20 minutes. It saves your ankles.
What To Wear And Carry (The Specifics)
I’ve seen people on this circuit in jeans and trainers. They suffer. Here’s what I carry every time, with exact prices and reasons.
- Silva Expedition 4 compass (£35). Not a phone app. Phones die in the cold and rain. This compass has a built-in declination adjustment for the Cairngorms (magnetic declination is currently about 2° west).
- OS Landranger Map 43 (£9.50). The 1:50,000 scale is fine for this plateau. The 1:25,000 Explorer map is better but heavier. I use the Landranger and a case.
- Montane Phase Nano jacket (£110). It’s a synthetic insulated jacket that breathes well enough for the ascent but keeps me warm on the exposed plateau. I’ve worn it in 50mph winds on Glas Maol and stayed comfortable.
- Rab Downpour Plus waterproof trousers (£80). Not the cheap ones. The Downpour Plus has taped seams and a reinforced seat. Sitting on wet rock for lunch without these is a mistake you make once.
- Inov-8 Roclite G 345 GTX boots (£170). These are lightweight (345g per boot) but have a Gore-Tex membrane and a Vibram sole. They handle the bog and the rocky descent well. I’ve had mine for two years. They’re still waterproof.
The One Item You Should Not Skip
Bring a head torch. Even in summer. I’ve finished this circuit at 9pm in July because I started late and spent an hour lost in mist. A Petzl Actik Core (£55) is enough. It’s 450 lumens, rechargeable, and weighs 75g. If you don’t bring a torch and get caught in darkness, you’re descending that steep slope by phone light. Don’t be that person.
When The Circuit Goes Wrong: Alternatives And Bail-Outs
This is the section most guides skip. They assume you’ll finish the full loop. But weather changes, injuries happen, and sometimes you just run out of energy. Here are three bail-out options, ordered by how much of the circuit you’ve completed.
Bail-Out 1: You’ve Only Done Carn an Tuirc
If the weather turns before you reach Cairn of Claise, turn around. Retrace your steps down the ski access road. It’s the same route, but it’s safe and quick. Don’t push on hoping it clears. I’ve done that. It didn’t clear. I spent four hours navigating in zero visibility between Cairn of Claise and Glas Maol. Not worth it.
Bail-Out 2: You’ve Reached Cairn of Claise But Not Glas Maol
From Cairn of Claise, you can descend southeast into Glen Ey. There’s a faint path that follows the Allt a’ Ghlinne Mhòir burn. This drops you onto the Glen Ey estate track, which leads to a public road near the Linn of Dee. You’ll need a car shuttle or a long walk back (about 8km on road). It’s a bail-out, not a shortcut.
Bail-Out 3: You’ve Made It to Creag Leacach and Need to Get Down Fast
If someone in your group is injured or hypothermic, do not attempt the standard descent. Instead, head northwest from Creag Leacach’s summit, descending the broad ridge toward the head of Glen Shee. This is a long, grassy slope with no cliffs. It’s slow going (deep grass and heather) but it’s safe. You’ll hit the A93 about 1km north of the ski centre. Walk south on the road verge back to the car park. I’ve done this once when a friend developed severe cramping. It took 90 minutes instead of 60, but we got down without any falls.
Navigation In Mist: The Only Method That Works
I’m going to be blunt: if you can’t take a bearing and walk on it for 2km without drifting, do not do this circuit in cloud. The plateau gives you no visual reference points. Here’s the exact method I use.
From the summit cairn of Carn an Tuirc, I take a bearing to the cairn on Cairn of Claise. The bearing is 355° magnetic. I count my paces for 100 metres, then check my compass. I adjust. I repeat. I do not walk more than 150 metres without checking. This is tedious. It’s also the only way to stay on line. I use the Silva Expedition 4 because it has a long baseplate that makes taking bearings from the map easier. The built-in declination adjustment means I set it once and forget it.
The same method works between Cairn of Claise and Glas Maol (bearing 310° magnetic) and between Glas Maol and Creag Leacach (bearing 210° magnetic). Write these bearings on your map before you set off. Trying to calculate them in wind and rain is a mistake I made once.
I’ve taken beginners on this circuit and taught them compass navigation on the move. It’s a good training ground because the consequences of a minor error are low — you’ll end up in a neighbouring glen, not off a cliff. But the consequences of a major error (walking east instead of north) are significant. You could end up in the wrong glen entirely, adding 5km and 300m of ascent to your day. Don’t test it.