Carn Gorm

Càrn Gorm
Càrn Gorm seen from Meall Garbh, two km to the NE. The Munro “Top” of An Sgorr is in the foreground.
Highest point
Elevation	1,029 m (3,376 ft)
Prominence	182 m (597 ft)
Parent peak	Carn Mairg
Listing	Munro, Marilyn
Naming
Translation	Blue Hill (Gaelic)
Pronunciation	Scottish Gaelic: [ˈkʰaːrˠn ˈkɔɾɔm]
Geography
Location	Perth and Kinross, Scotland
Parent range	Grampians
OS grid	NN635500
Topo map	OS Landranger 51, OS Explorer 378

Càrn Gorm is a Scottish mountain situated 22 km west of Aberfeldy in the council area of Perth and Kinross, it stands in a group of four Munros known as the Càrn Mairg group or the Glen Lyon Horseshoe on the north side of Glen Lyon.

Càrn Gorm reaches a height of 1029 metres (3376 feet), it qualifies as a Munro and a Marilyn. It is often climbed as part of the circuit of the Càrn Mairg Munros which stand in a curving arc around the Invervar Burn. Càrn Gorm is the first of the hills climbed when the round is walked in a clockwise direction, it is then followed by Meall Garbh, Càrn Mairg and Meall nan Aighean. Although not the highest of the group Càrn Gorm is often regarded as the finest looking with its summit shaped into a neat cone. The hill lies within the Chesthill estate and large herds of deer are often seen on its slopes. Càrn Gorm translates literally from the Gaelic as “Blue Hill”, but the word gorm is also used for the green of foliage, and probably comes from the dark tones of the grass on the hillside rather than the shady hues of the conifer plantation on its south east slopes which was planted well after the hill was named.

Càrn Gorm is mostly composed of grassy slopes with sporadic rocky outcrops, its attractive summit peak is formed by the meeting of four ridges of varying lengths. The NW ridge is the longest, running for eight km down to the shores of Loch Rannoch its lower slopes are clothed in the woodlands of the Carie and Cragganester Woods SSSI part of the ancient Black Wood of Rannoch. The SE ridge descends to the valley of the Invervar Burn and is planted with coniferous woodland on its lower slopes. This eastern side of the mountain is part of the Càrn Gorm and Meall Garbh SSSI, a 1930 hectare area of sub-alpine mountain habitat, an example of natural and undisturbed territory within the UK with rare plant species. Lower down by the Invervar Burn are the remains of some old from the time when cattle were brought up to summer pasture on these hills.