Beinn Mheadhoin by Loch Avon and Loch Etchachan from Coire Cas

The walk starts at the Coire Cas car park at the Cairngorm ski area and goes out and back. It begins as the Loch Avon walk: up through the ski area, over the Fiacaill a' Choire Chais and down a steep path to the head of Loch Avon, then on past the Shelter Stone. Beyond the loch a path climbs steadily south-east to the high ground by Loch Etchachan, passing within half a kilometre of the loch, and then runs out onto the plateau of Beinn Mheadhoin to the Barns, the granite tors along its summit ridge. The line ends among the tors, where the mapped path ends; the highest tor, which carries the summit (1,183 m), is a short scramble from there and is not part of the route. Return the same way.

It is 19.2 km with 1,433 m of ascent; allow about 10 hours. The grade is Strenuous: the walk crosses the glacial trough of Loch Avon, so a steep descent and a steep climb come at each end of the high ground, and the summit is a long way from help.

This is remote country. In cloud the plateau and the tors give few clues, and in winter the whole way needs an ice axe, crampons and experience. The burns at the head of Loch Avon and the outflow of Loch Etchachan have no bridges and can be hard to cross in spate. The Heading for the Scottish Hills stalking table lists no stalking issues for Beinn Mheadhoin. After the July 2026 wildfire some paths near Glenmore are closed: look at the Cairngorms National Park path closures page before you set out.

The Coire Cas car park is a pay car park (OpenStreetMap lists a fee), and Aviemore station is about 11 km away.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.