The Chalamain Gap is a superb natural feature taking the form of a gorge filled with vast boulders. It sits on a path that links the Cairn Gorm ski road with the Lairig Ghru. This route from Loch Morlich to Loch Morlich extends to some 20km with 500m of ascent.
Other routes via the Chalamin Gap
I have previously reached the Chalamain Gap, from the Sugar Bowl car park higher up the Cairngorm valley – see this route – and during a run-hike of Cairn Toul, Sgor an Lochain Uaine and Braeriach, also from Sugar Bowl car park. The Chalamain Gap is a feature on a running route of five of Scotland’s 4000fters.
How was the Chalamain Gap formed?
The Cairngorms were once covered by ice. The Chalamain Gap was created formed by meltwater from the glacier during the last Ice Age. It’s a meltwater channel that was carved out by the powerful flow of water as the glacier melted and retreated.
Loch Morlich to Chalamain Gap circuit
With the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa four-day stage race looming, our group, including Rachel and Cath (who are both also doing UTMR) and David P, decided to cover a couple of routes in the Cairngorm National Park in one day. Easy of the routes started and finished at Loch Morlich.
There is a £5 day parking charge for the Loch Morlich car park. This offers easy access to the beach and also to public toilets.
The car park is at an elevation of around 300m and the highest point of the route was 701m.
We set off south and then headed west through Glenmore Forest Park and along the shore of the loch. There are many tracks and we did end up going a short way in the wrong direction a couple of times but, mainly, we kept the loch on our right side.
After running a little way north-west, we then turned sharply south-west and the landscape felt suddenly more remote. Many trees had been felled and so there was much more of an open view of the wider Cairngorms National Park than I have seen here before.
After another 2.5km or so, we joined the path through moorland that takes you to the Lairig Ghru, which is a mountain pass at the heart of the park. There is a Lairig Ghru race each year.
We ran along the pass path travelling SSE for some 4km before reaching another path that tracks north-west and uphill. The Lairig Ghru – see my article about running the Lairig Ghru – continues south to eventually reach the Linn of Dee.
Just after the high point of 700m, the path dropped down a little and we reached the magnificent Chalamain Gap. We picked our way carefully through the boulders and then joined another well-made path to continue north-east, then east for a short way and then north.
Our route back to Loch Morlich was on a path – quite overgrown – that runs close to the tarmac road between Rothiemurchus and Cairngorm Ski Centre.
We spotted a field of reindeer – this might seem odd but, somewhat famous, there is herd of reindeer kept in the area – and then rejoined the tracks in the woodland next to the loch.
I recorded a moving time of 2 hours, 30 minutes, although this will be longer when you add in stops for food, regrouping etc.
Loch Morlich to Chalamain Gap circuit
Distance: 20km
Total elevation: 520m