Scotland · United Kingdom
Cairnwell Pass
A93Braemar to Spittal of Glenshee
The highest main road in Britain, over the Cairnwell between Glenshee and Braemar.
The A93 crosses the Cairnwell, the highest point on any A-road in Britain, between the Glenshee ski slopes and royal Braemar. It is fast and open in summer and snow-gated in winter; mind the gradients and the changeable mountain weather.
We love it most in that in-between season, when the hills are brown and there’s hardly a soul about. Bleak in the best possible way.
Why we picked it
Scenery
Best seasons
In these collections
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Where it runs15.1 mi · point to point
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Character
The highest road in the United Kingdom, by our count in the catalogue.
Corners
busiest around mile 14Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%329.8 – 683.1 mPoints of interest3 stops
- Devil’s Elbow ViewpointViewpoint11 mi in
- Cairnwell PassViewpoint9.6 mi in
- Place at which the Standard of Rebellion was erected A.D.1715Landmarkat the start
Hazards
- Highest A-road, snow gates close in winter
- Steep gradients
- Ski-season traffic
See the typical season and live conditions for the high passes ›
Sources
“Traffic is sparse and the scenery is stunning.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
Driving the Cairnwell Pass: quick answers
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Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Cairnwell Pass.
