Glen
Glen Strathfarrar
A long private road behind a gate, open to cars on set days and hours in summer and by Mountaineering Scotland arrangement in winter — and four fine Munros on the north side of the glen.
- Munros
- 7
- Corbetts
- 1
- Highest peak
- Sgurr na Lapaich (1151.9m)
Glen Strathfarrar is reached by a private road with a gate at the foot of the glen near Struy. Vehicle access works on two different regimes, and they change on the first of November, so check which one applies on the day you go — Mountaineering Scotland's Strathfarrar access page is the source for everything below.
Summer (approximately 1 April to the end of October): vehicle access is open to everyone, controlled by a gate-keeper, with no permit and no need to notify anyone. The glen is closed to vehicles all day on Tuesdays and until 1.30pm on Wednesdays. Opening hours start at 9am and close at 6pm in April and October, 7pm in May and September, and 8pm from June to August. The last vehicle goes in one hour before closing, and no more than 25 vehicles are allowed in on any one day.
Winter (approximately 1 November to 31 March): the road is closed to public vehicles. A concession agreed with the estates lets Mountaineering Scotland members drive in for day visits to a listed set of summits and climbing crags only, on request to Mountaineering Scotland by 1pm at least two working days ahead, with a maximum of three cars a day, no entry before 8am, parking at four designated places only and no overnight parking. The road is not gritted or cleared of snow. Low-level walks are not covered by the winter arrangement.
On foot or by bike you can go in at any time of year without registering. The four Strathfarrar Munros — Sgurr na Ruaidhe, Carn nan Gobhar, Sgurr a' Choire Ghlais and Sgurr Fhuar-thuill — run along the north side of the glen.
The road in
End of road
The private road runs up the glen past Deanie power station to the Monar dam. Check the summer or winter vehicle regime before driving in — they differ, and the winter regime starts on 1 November.
Parking2 spots
Mhullie Greens / Allt Coire Mhuillidh
No charge published — check the access conditions on the day
NH 283386, just past Deanie power station. Mountaineering Scotland names it as the summer parking place and a designated winter parking place for the four Strathfarrar Munros.
Loch Monar dam head
No charge published — check the access conditions on the day
NH 203394. A designated winter parking place (Maoile Lunndaidh, An Sidhean) under the Mountaineering Scotland arrangement.
Hills from Glen Strathfarrar7 Munros · 1 Corbetts
Sgurr na Ruaidhe
993m
Carn nan Gobhar
992m
Sgurr a' Choire Ghlais
1083.7m
Sgurr Fhuar-thuill
1049.2m
What's in the glen
Strathfarrar Munro ridge
Sgurr na Ruaidhe, Carn nan Gobhar, Sgurr a' Choire Ghlais and Sgurr Fhuar-thuill run along the north side of the glen. Mountaineering Scotland lists Mhullie Greens and the start of the Allt Toll a'Mhuic as the parking places for them.
Loch Monar
The reservoir at the head of the glen, held back by the Monar dam. Maoile Lunndaidh and the Corbett An Sidhean lie to the north of the loch; Sgurr na Lapaich and An Riabhachan to the south.
River Farrar
Our take
The access arrangement is the whole planning problem here, and it is a good one to have: the Munro ridge on the north side sees far fewer people than the equivalent hills in Affric or Kintail. In summer, know which days the glen is shut (Tuesdays, and Wednesday mornings), arrive in good time for the 25-vehicle limit, and be out before closing. In winter, either join Mountaineering Scotland and book ahead, or walk or cycle in. Read the current conditions on Mountaineering Scotland's page before every trip — the winter arrangement is reviewed each season.
History
Mountaineering Scotland describes the winter arrangement as a concession it has worked with Braulen Estate and East Monar Estate to reinstate. Its stated purpose is to limit disturbance during the estates' winter hind cull: the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code give no right of vehicle access to the private road, though walkers and cyclists have the same access rights here as anywhere else.
The glen road runs west past Deanie power station to the Monar dam at the head of the glen, part of the hydro development of the Beauly catchment.
Practical
- Mobile signal
- No signal beyond Struy.
- Midges
- High(4/5)
- Public transport
- No public transport into the glen. Walkers and cyclists can enter at any time without registering; there is no permit system.
- Dogs
- On lead — livestock or ground-nesting birds present.
Map
Hills (green), bothies (brown), parking (blue), wild swimming (light blue).
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Glen Strathfarrar — common questions
- How's the drive into Glen Strathfarrar?
- Private road behind a gate, with controlled access. The private road runs up the glen past Deanie power station to the Monar dam. Check the summer or winter vehicle regime before driving in — they differ, and the winter regime starts on 1 November.
- Can you drive a campervan into Glen Strathfarrar?
- Best avoided in a big vehicle. Narrow sections, tight turns or scarce passing space make Glen Strathfarrar awkward for motorhomes and large campervans — park in a wider valley and walk in.
- Will midges be a problem in Glen Strathfarrar?
- We rate Glen Strathfarrar 4/5 for midges — severe between late May and September. Still, humid evenings are peak biting time; wind and height are your friends. Pack Smidge and a head net from May.
- Is it legal to wild camp in Glen Strathfarrar?
- Yes. Under the Land Reform Act 2003 you can wild camp on most unenclosed land in Scotland, provided you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code — keep off enclosed farmland, camp in small groups, and leave no trace. Glen Strathfarrar sits outside the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Camping Management Zones, so the March-September permit restrictions there don't apply here.
- How do I reach Glen Strathfarrar by public transport?
- No public transport into the glen. Walkers and cyclists can enter at any time without registering; there is no permit system.