Carn Aosda
| Carn Aosda | |||
| Aberdeenshire | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 The scarred southern side of Càrn Aosda, from The Cairnwell | |||
| Range: | Cairnwell Hills | ||
| Summit: | 3,009 feet NO134791 56°53’42"N, 3°25’24"W | ||
Carn Aosda is a mountain in Aberdeenshire, which reaches a height of 3,009 feet at its summit, and so it qualifies as a Munro. It is amongst the Cairnwell Hills, part of the wider Grampian range, and may be found eight miles south of the town of Braemar in the same county.
The mountain stands near the summit of the Cairnwell Pass on the A93 road, in the midst of the Glenshee Ski Centre.
Overview
Càrn Aosda reaches a height of 3,008 feet and at one point in time it had the dubious honour of being the lowest of the Munros. Since that listing, more accurate mapping techniques have changed this though, and it is now the 279th ranked mountain in that classification; third from last.[1] Càrn Aosda, along with the adjoining Munro of The Cairnwell, is regarded as the easiest of the Munros to ascend,[2] this is because of the high starting altitude of over 2,100 feet at the ski centre and the easy walking conditions on rough vehicle tracks which lead directly to the summit. A fit hill walker can complete the 900-ft ascent from the centre car park in half an hour.
Apart from being the easiest Munro, Càrn Aosda also has the reputation as being one of the most despoiled,[3] with the mountain having snow fences, ski tow supports, huts and vehicle tracks right up to the summit as part of the Glenshee ski centre. The mountain has four pistes on its slopes, there is a run for beginners plus two for intermediate level on the easier slopes which go south from the summit into Butchart’s Corrie. There is a piste ranked as difficult on the steeper slopes of the eastern shoulder. There are also three towbar lifts on the southern slopes to service the ski runs one of which goes past the 900-metre contour to just a few feet from the summit.[4]
The mountain's name translates from the Gaelic language as "Aged Hill/Cairn"; aosda means aged or ancient and most guide books carry this meaning.[5] However an alternative meaning has been put forward as “Hill of the Inn” derived from the word òsda, and in historical times there was indeed an inn at the foot of the mountain at the Sean Spittal bridge where the Cairnwell Burn flows under the main Cairnwell pass road and this is could possibly have given the mountain its name.[6]
Geography
Càrn Aosda throws out a 2½-mile-long northern ridge which descends to the hamlet of Baddoch on the A93 road. Another shorter ridge goes north-east and along with the north ridge encloses the corrie named Dubh-choire. Càrn Aosda's southern slopes descend into Butchart’s corrie which is drained by the headwaters of the Cairnwell Burn, the corrie is surprisingly unnamed on OS maps being well known by the skiing fraternity with two of the ski tows being named Butcharts access poma and Butcharts T Bar respectively.
The easy inclined broad slopes which go south-west from the summit descends to the 2,608-foot col at the head of Butchart’s corrie from here the neighbouring Munros of The Cairnwell and Càrn a' Gheòidh can be easily climbed. 200 yards west of the col is Loch Vrotachan, owned by the Ballater Angling club this offers good trout fishing at a height of 2,460 feet.[7]
The summit of Càrn Aosda itself is made up of small light coloured quartzite rocks, giving the mountain a distinctive appearance. There are twin summit bumps with the western top having a height of 2,963 feet while the true top lies 450 yards to the east and is marked by a small pile of quartzite boulders.
All drainage from this mountain goes by way of Glen Clunie and the River Dee to reach the east coast at Aberdeen.
Ascents and view
Càrn Aosda is invariably climbed with one or both of the nearby Munros of The Cairnwell and Càrn a' Gheòidh. This walk offers the Munro bagger the opportunity of climbing three Munros with minimum effort. The walk starts at the ski centre car park and only involves 1,900 ft of climbing to ascend the three mountains from the col at the head of Butchart’s corrie; this can be done in three hours. A more aesthetically pleasing route for the mountain purist which avoids the ski area altogether begins on the A93 at the start of the track to Baddoch (grid reference NO138831) and climbs the long north ridge to the summit. The view from the summit takes in the ski area to the south but in other directions there are excellent vistas of the mountains of the Mounth and the Cairngorms.[8]
References
- The Munros, Scottish Mountaineering Trust, 1986, Donald Bennett (Editor) ISBN 0-907521-13-4
- In the Hills of Breadalbane, V.A. Firsoff, no ISBN
- The Munros, Scotland's Highest Mountains, Cameron McNeish, ISBN 1-84204-082-0
- The Magic Of The Munros, Irvine Butterfield, ISBN 0-7153-2168-4
- Hamish's Mountain Walk, Hamish Brown, ISBN 1-898573-08-5
- ↑ www.scottishsport.co.uk. Gives Munros in height order.
- ↑ "The Munros, Scotland‘s Highest Mountains" Pages 104 “The Cairnwell and Càrn Aosda are probably the most accessible Munros in the country“.
- ↑ "The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland" Page 144 “The commercial development on their slopes make these hills even less inviting than before“.
- ↑ ski.visitscotland.com. Map giving details of pistes and ski tows on mountain.
- ↑ "The Munros" Page 104 Gives translation as “Hill of Age“.
- ↑ "The Magic of the Munros" Page 94 Gives translation as “Hill of the Inn“.
- ↑ www.wild-fishing-scotland.co.uk. Gives details of fishing on Loch Vrotachan.
- ↑ "The Munros" Page 104 Gives some details of ascent from ski centre.
| Munros in SMC Area SMC Section 6 - Glen Garry to Braemar |
|---|
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An Sgarsoch • An Socach • Beinn Dearg • Beinn Iutharn Mhòr • Beinn a' Ghlò • Càrn a' Chlamain • Carn a' Gheoidh • Càrn an Fhidhleir • Carn an Righ • Carn Aosda • Càrn Bhac • Beinn a' Ghlò • Beinn a' Ghlò • Glas Tulaichean • The Cairnwell |