Braeriach

Braeriach
Aberdeenshire, Inverness-shire
Braeriach seen from Sgor Gaoith, across Glen Einich
Range:	Cairngorms
Summit:	4,252 feet NN953999 57°4’42"N, 3°43’39"W

Braeriach (Gaelic: Bràigh Riabhach or Am Bràigh Riabhach) is a mountain of the Cairngorms and is the third highest mountain in Great Britain, surpassed only by Ben Nevis and Ben Macdui.

Braeiach stands on the border of Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire and is the highest point in the western massif of the Cairngorms, separated from the central section (which contains Ben Macdui and Cairn Gorm) by the pass of the Lairig Ghru.

The mountain's summit has a crescent shape, with several corries. In the north-facing corrie of Garbh Coire Mor the snow has completely melted just five times in the last century: 1933, 1959, 1996, 2003 & 2006 and the patches that linger there are the longest lying snow patches in Scotland.

The mountain's name is Gaelic, and means "Brindled greyish upper part".

Ascent

Probably the most commonly used route up Braeriach starts from Sugar Bowl car park, on the road leading the Cairn Gorm ski area. From here a path leads over the hillside to a steep sided rocky ravine known as the Chalamain Gap, before descending around 300 feet to the Lairig Ghru. After crossing this pass the route heads for the summit by way of Braeriach's north ridge, crossing a subsidiary peak, Sròn na Lairige. The summit is around 5 miles from the car park by this route.