Favorite Spots: Lochnagar

May 28, 2024

1 min read

June is Open Mountain Month, and to warm up, we did a quick tour of the office to learn about our outdoor-loving colleagues' favorite spots in the mountains. Here, Sustainability Specialist Mhairi Bannerman shares a favorite she grew up with in Scotland.

What is your favorite spot in the mountains?

Sitting at 1,155m above sea level, Lochnagar (Beinn Chìochan in Gaelic) is one of the closest Munros to my parents' home in the Cairngorms.

Why is it your favorite?

For those who don't know, a Munro is a mountain in Scotland that is over 3000 feet (914.4m) in elevation, and there are 282 of them. In fact, my parents are on a mission to catch them all, or bag them all, as it is called in the Munro bagging community. There are higher, harder, more technical Munros than Lochnagar, but Lochnagar was the mountain I grew up hearing stories about.

Two people standing on top of a mountain

How would you describe the spot?

As with most places in Scotland, the weather on Lochnagar can change in an instant. Some winters, it will be entirely snow-covered most of the season, and other times, it will be very patchy. No day is the same. My Grandfather was part of the Braemar Mountain Rescue in this area of Scotland and knows all too well the dangers of setting off into the hills without proper preparation for the variable weather conditions. So, despite its amicable appearance, Lochnagar should not be taken lightly.