(Main Path & Plateau Path)
Loch-na-Garr, loch of noise or laughter, is one of our most iconic Munros. This highly popular route climbs to a pointed summit rising high above one of Scotland’s most beautiful corries. The original name was Beinn nan Ciochan, hill of the paps, which referred to the twin peaks on its summit plateau. There are a few stories as to how the name change came about, but the best is probably that of the ghillie who was too embarrassed to tell Queen Victoria that the main protuberance was known as Cac Carn Beag (politely put, it means little pile of excrement) and instead referred to the mountain as Lochnagar.

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Part of the vast, rolling Mounth plateau, Broad Cairn climbs to a height of 3274 feet with the distance from base being around 5-6 miles. From part of the way alongside Loch Muick the summit of Broad Cairn comes into view with a shapely dome and a sharp pointed head. It is from this angle that it really shows its shape and size with the steep banks, cliffs and corries along with the vast waters of Loch Muick really setting the scene.

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Built by Queen Victoria to get away from it all, the Glas-allt Shiel Lodge sits in its own magical setting surrounded by woodland on the edge of Loch Muick. This waterside walk takes you across the River Muick, through woodland and countryside before arriving at the Loch and on to the Glas-allt Shiel Lodge. Not to be missed is the climb behind the lodge to see the Glas Allt Shiel waterfalls as well as looking at for the local residents such as red squirrel, red deer and oyster catchers as you make you way around the Loch.

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