Sgòr Gaoith

Sgòr Gaoith, at 1,118 metres — "peak of the wind" in Gaelic — is a distinctive peaked summit on the western edge of the Cairngorms, with one of the most dramatic locations in the entire range, perched right on the edge of a huge wall of broken crags that collapse down to lonely Loch Einich.

The route starts from a car park by the Allt Ruadh bridge on the east side of Glen Feshie, signed for Achlean. An excellently constructed path climbs through magnificent Caledonian pinewoods before emerging onto the bare upper slopes, narrowing on a flat shoulder around 810 metres before bending right to climb across the slope to the bealach between Sgòr Gaoith and Càrn Bàn Mòr — a short section here is very wet, though it can be bypassed on pathless ground. The bealach itself is just a slight dip in a vast plateau stretching for miles south towards Mullach Clach a' Bhlàir and east across the high-altitude bogs of the Moine Mhòr. The route continues north-north-east, with a worthwhile detour to the eastern edge of the plateau for views along the crags, before reaching the summit — a lofty, stunningly dramatic promontory where the Feshie plateau plunges precipitously to Loch Einich below.

For a longer, more varied circuit, the descent can continue over the former Munro (now Munro Top) of Geal-chàrn, demoted alongside neighbouring Sgoran Dubh Mòr when their separation from Sgòr Gaoith proved too slight; from there, pathless heather slopes lead back down to rejoin the outward route.

The out-and-back route from Glen Feshie is around 15-19 kilometres depending on the exact circuit chosen, typically five to seven hours — one of the finest shorter hillwalks in the Cairngorms.

The vast, largely featureless summit plateau makes for difficult navigation in poor visibility, and the crag edge can become heavily corniced in winter, requiring a wide berth — full navigation skills are essential given how easy it would be to stray towards the precipice in mist.

Parking by the Allt Ruadh bridge is free; there is no direct public transport, though local buses run to Kincraig near Feshiebridge.