Càrn a' Choire Bhòidheach

Càrn a' Choire Bhòidheach, at 1,110 metres — "hill of the beautiful corrie" in Gaelic — sits at the centre of the vast White Mounth plateau near Lochnagar. The true summit is a rather featureless swelling that some regard as one of the least characterful Munros on the list, but a short distance north lies The Stuic, a far more dramatic minor summit perched on the edge of two impressive corries.

Most walkers reach this Munro as part of a wider round taking in Lochnagar, following the path south-west from Lochnagar's summit down to a wide, grass-covered bealach before a faint path leads directly to the small, unassuming summit cairn. From here, the route continues west across grassy slopes with occasional boulders to meet a burn, followed south-west before contouring to a line of old iron fence posts leading up to the bealach between Càrn an t-Sagairt Beag and Càrn an t-Sagairt Mòr.

For those wanting the Stuic's finer scrambling and views without the full Lochnagar round, the direct ascent via this route is considered the best option — starting from Keiloch and following the track from the Bridge of Dee up to the Feindallacher Burn, then a pathless traverse across moorland to Loch nan Eun and the start of the scramble up The Stuic itself. An alternative approach starts from Auchallater in Glen Clunie, following the old pony path around Càrn an t-Sagairt Mòr.

Combined with Lochnagar and other neighbouring Munros in a full White Mounth circuit, the round trip from Glen Muick or Glen Clunie is a substantial day, typically eight to ten hours or more depending on how many summits are included.

The vast, featureless plateau here demands genuine navigation confidence in poor visibility — several regular visitors specifically note how easy it is to lose the faint path in mist, and full route-finding skills are essential given the exposed, high-altitude terrain.

Parking at Keiloch or Auchallater is free; there is no direct public transport to either start.