Cairn of Claise

Cairn of Claise, at 1,064 metres — "cairn of the meadow" or "hollow" in Gaelic — is one of four Munros forming a fine, quieter circuit south of the Cairngorms proper, far less frequented than the nearby Cairnwell group despite similarly accessible starting points.

The route starts from a roadside layby on the A93, around 2 kilometres north of Glenshee Ski Centre. The circuit climbs first to Càrn an Tuirc before swinging north to Cairn of Claise, with a stone fence providing a reliable guide across much of the broad, rolling plateau terrain — useful given how easily the featureless ground can disorientate in poor visibility. From the summit, wide views take in the surrounding Mounth plateau, with Tolmount and Tom Buidhe visible to the east for those extending the round further in that direction.

From Cairn of Claise, the route continues south to Glas Maol, the highest point of the day at 1,068 metres, its summit marked by a small cairn on a broad, dome-like top with exceptional views on a clear day — the Cairngorm plateau to the north, Lochnagar to the north-east, and the rolling hills of eastern Perthshire stretching south. A fine ridge then leads south-east to the fourth Munro, Creag Leacach, with the terrain becoming notably rockier and more defined than the smooth plateau grass behind.

The full four-Munro circuit — Càrn an Tuirc, Cairn of Claise, Glas Maol, and Creag Leacach — from the A93 layby is around 21 kilometres with roughly 1,000 metres of ascent, typically a full day; the descent from the bealach between Creag Leacach and Glas Maol uses the ski lift path back down to the road.

The broad, largely featureless plateau connecting these summits demands genuine navigation confidence in poor visibility — in cloud it is easy to drift off course — and all four summits sit exposed above 1,000 metres, where wind chill and sudden weather changes are a real factor even in summer.

The A93 layby is free with space for several cars; there are no facilities at the start, though the Glenshee Ski Centre 2 kilometres south has toilets and a café.