Ben Avon

Ben Avon rises in the heart of the Cairngorms, a sprawling granite giant whose broad summit plateau is dotted with ancient tors. The mountain’s highest point is marked by Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe, the ‘bed of the yellow stag’, a striking tor that crowns the plateau at 1,171 metres. It belongs to the list of Munros and Marilyns, hills that meet strict height and prominence rules. Three glens frame its flanks: Glen Avon to the north, Beinn a’ Bhùird to the west and Gleann an t-Slugain to the south. From the plateau ridges fan out in almost every direction, giving walkers many ways to reach the top. The mountain’s western corrie, Slochd Mòr, is a dramatic feature of sheer cliffs and shattered rock. Routes from the south and west skirt the corrie rim before climbing to the plateau. The usual ascent follows the path through the deep glen between Ben Avon and Beinn a’ Bhùird, or starts directly from that neighbouring peak. To claim the summit, walkers must scramble the final tor, an easy climb that rewards them with wide views. On the summit plateau the tors stand like silent sentinels above the surrounding plateau. The air is thin and clear, carrying the scent of heather and the distant rush of streams. From this high vantage point the Cairngorms stretch away in every direction, a sea of rolling hills and hidden corries. The granite slabs are warm underfoot, holding the heat of the day long after the sun has dipped behind the ridges.