Carn an Tuirc
Meaning: Peak of the Wild Boar
Munro Region: Glen Shee to Mount Keen
Munro Number: 113
Height in Metres: 1019
Height in Feet: 3343
OS Map Reference OS Sheet 43; 174804
Description:
Of these four hills, Cam an Tuirc and Cairn of Claise overlook the head of Glen Clunie a few kilometres north-east of the Cairnwell Pass, showing shallow grassy corries and rounded shoulders to the A93 road. Tolmount, a few kilometres east, stands at the head of Glen Callater with a steep craggy face above this glen, and Tom Buidhe to its south is a rounded swelling on the Mounth plateau. The four can be climbed in a round tour from the head of Glen Clunie.
Leave the A93 road 2km north of the Cairnwell Pass at (148800) and descend a short distance to cross the Cairnwell Burn by the old bridge, a remnant of the 18th century military road. Follow the Allt a'Gharbh-choire E for 1km by a path shown on the OS 1:50,000 map and cross the tributary coming down from the north-east. Continue ENE up the path which leads round to the north-east side of Carn an Tuirc and avoids the unpleasant boulder slopes of the east face and reach the flat stony summit. (3 km; 510m; 1 h 40min).
Continue E across the summit boulderfield and, where the slope steepens towards Coire Kander, turn SE down a wide grassy ridge to the saddle from where Cairn of Claise lies 1.5km SSE. Climb the easy slope by a track which leads to near the summit. (5.5km; 620m; 2h 20min). A pleasant walk ENE down grassy slopes leads to a shallow peaty col from which a wide shoulder leads to Tolmount. (8.5km; 700m; 3h l0min). The summit stands near the steep headwall of Glen Callater.
To the south the rounded top of Tom Buidhe rises from the plateau. It is best approached by going round the upper part of the shallow green corrie, one of the sources of the River South Esk, which separates Tolmount from Tom Buidhe. A short ascent SE up a grassy slope studded with a few boulders leads to the rounded summit of the latter. (l0km; 790m; 3h 40min).
Return due W along the highest ground over Ca Whims. After about 2km bear WSW, contouring at about 970m between the upper slopes of Cairn of Claise on one's right and steepening ground dropping towards the Caenlochan Glen on one's left. This traverse across tussocky grass and blaeberry leads in about 2km to the smooth ground of the watershed where the Mounth plateau is reduced to a broad ridge between the Caenlochan Glen and the Garbh-choire.
Go SW along this ridge, following a vehicle track, to reach the path of the Monega road, the highest drove route in the Highlands, which comes up from Glen Isla over Little Glas Maol. The path crosses the ridge and leads NW down the spur of Sron na Gaoithe towards Glen Clunie. Follow it, and leave the crest of the spur to descend its north flank just before reaching the rocky knob at its termination.
Below this the path disappears, but an easy grass slope leads down to the Allt a'Gharbh-choire which must be crossed to reach the bridge at the starting point of the route.