Sgor Mor from Linn of Dee

Out of the forest by Linn of Dee

From Braemar, drive west along its main street, veering right at the Hazelnut Patisserie. Continue onwards on an unclassified road for 9km to the bridge at the Linn of Dee.

Cross the bridge over the River Dee, turn sharp right, uphill slightly and you'll come to a large, well sign-posted car-park on your left.

There is a one-way system around this car-park which is operated by the National Trust for Scotland and there is a daily charge of £3 to park.

Fence line leading to Sgor Dubh

From the Linn of Dee car-park, head northwards up an obvious path (sign-posted) through the forest. The path climbs gently, crosses some bog via a wooden walkway, then meets up with the track travelling up the west side of Lui Water .

Turn left (north) and walk for around 200m to just beyond the edge of forestry on your left . You should see the faint signs of an old track heading west through heather and around the boundary of the forest. Follow this for just over 500m to a sharp turn in the forest boundary, where there is a gate in a deer-fence (and an orienteering marker) .

Through the gate and keeping the deer-fence on your right, follow a faint path tracing a route aside the fence-line. Further on in a patch of woodland, you'll come to another gate - ignore this gate and keep the deer-fence on your right.

With pleasant terrain underfoot, the deer-fence and path gradually turn north-west and climb up towards Sgor Dubh, reaching a height of 670m before turning west and beginning to aim downhill. At the highest point , cross the deer-fence then over stunted heather, make a beeline for Sgor Dubh's summit - there's a trig point and a small cairn on the top with fine views all around.

Sgor Mor from Sgor Dubh's trig point

Looking west from Sgor Dubh's summit, Sgor Mor doesn't seem too far away, nor does there appear to be much of a drop between the two summits.

From Sgor Dubh's summit pick up a faint path that initially heads south-west for a short distance, before turning and aiming in a more westerly direction. After around 1km, the bealach between the two tops is reached and the path seems to disappear into heather.

Ahead there are some rocky outcrops and some stoney ground to contend with or hike around, but in the main the 2km route to Sgor Mor is on heather covered ground following the crest or just below it.

There is a circular stone dyke on Sgor Mor's summit to shelter out of westerlies from where views of the southern Cairngorm peaks are simply awesome !

Track back out following River Dee

Leaving Sgor Mor's summit, head south-south-west and descend down Sgor na Cuileige. As progress is made, descent steepens and fun can be had bounding down the ever deepening heather.

The path on the north side of the River Dee is met and this is then followed to White Bridge .

At White Bridge, pick up the estate track heading east and follow it for 4km back to Linn of Dee.