The Coronation Cairn on the Hills of Cromdale

The walk starts at the car park on the west side of the A95 at Cromdale and goes out and back. It crosses the A95, follows The Haughs and the road up the burn to Lethendry, 1.7 km out, and then an estate track that climbs east through the farmland and the edge of Claggersnich Wood to open hill. A path leaves the track at 4.2 km and climbs to the Coronation Cairn, the tall cairn that OpenStreetMap names as a coronation bonfire memorial, on the ridge at 626 m, 5.2 km from the car park. Return the same way.

It is 10.4 km (6.5 miles) with 444 m (1,457 ft) of ascent; allow about 4 hours. The grade is Moderate: the climb is steady and the track is firm, but the last kilometre is a path over open moor, and the hill above 450 m has no shelter.

The Creagan a' Chaise summit (722 m, with the Jubilee Cairn) lies a further 1.8 km along the ridge. OpenStreetMap has a path along it, but it does not join the path to the Coronation Cairn, so this walk stops at the Coronation Cairn and the ridge walk to the summit is not drawn. The ridge is broad, wet in places and has few features, so in cloud a map and compass are needed.

The Heading for the Scottish Hills tables have no row for the Cromdale Hills, so there is no published stalking guidance: ask locally before going in the autumn. The track passes farms at Lethendry: keep dogs under control near livestock, as the Scottish Outdoor Access Code asks. A Cairngorms National Park byelaw bans fires and barbecues from 1 April to 30 September.

OpenStreetMap has no fee tag on the Cromdale car park.

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.