Cairngorm Mountains

Approaching the summit of Ben Macdhui (1,309 m/4,296 ft), part of a high plateau at the centre of the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland. Typically covered in snow until late spring (this picture was taken in April), the peaks have patches of snow until August, and the Cairngorms contain the largest area of arctic vegetation in Britain.

Barns of Bynack, Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland. The barns are granite tors protruding from the upper slopes of Bynack More (1,090 m/3,576 ft), a mountain to the east of Cairn Gorm itself.

Granite mountain group in Scotland, northern part of the Grampian Mountains, between the River Dee and the upper Spey. The central range includes four out of five of Britain's highest mountains: Ben Macdhui (1,309 m/4,296 ft), Braeriach (1,296 m/4,251 ft), Cairn Toul (1,291 m/4,235 ft), and Cairn Gorm (1,245 m/4,084 ft). Cairn Gorm can be accessed by chair-lift.

The winter snowfall is heavy, and winds are higher than normally encountered in mountain ranges on the exposed and extensive plateau. Mountaineering, rock- and snow-climbing, skiing, deer hunting, grouse shooting, and angling are popular. Large herds of red deer are found in the hills, as are Britain's only herd of reindeer. The Ptarmigan restaurant near the summit of Cairn Gorm is Britain's highest restaurant.

The range also includes Ben Avon (1,171 m/3,843 ft), and Beinn a'Bhuird (1,196 m/3,925 ft).