Is Beinn nam Fuaran a hard climb?

Beinn nam Fuaran is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 15km with 709m of ascent and takes most walkers 4-7 hours. Ground conditions: The Auch farm track and West Highland Way path give a firm approach.

How much drop does Beinn nam Fuaran have?

The drop is 260m: measured from the summit of Beinn nam Fuaran down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.

Where's the parking for Beinn nam Fuaran?

Park at NN317355. Double-check the grid reference on an OS map first; informal laybys here fill early in high season.

What's the best month to climb Beinn nam Fuaran?

Aim for April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Beinn nam Fuaran. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.

Can dogs go up Beinn nam Fuaran?

Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.

By the OutdoorSCOT editor

Photo: Steven Brown / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

Submit a photo

Corbett · Fife & Perthshire

Beinn nam Fuaran

Beinn nam Fuaran — "hill of the springs" — is the fourth and most northerly of the Auch group of Corbetts, sitting above the head of Auch Gleann between Beinn a' Chaisteil and the Munro Beinn Mhanach. At 806m the summit is a small cairn on a broad grassy dome, with the view stretching west to Ben Dorain and north into Auch Gleann's upper reaches. The hill is the quietest of the Auch four, often included only on the longest combination days.

Quick facts

Height: 806m/ 2644ft
Prominence: 260 m
Distance: ~15 km
Ascent: ~709 m
Time: 4–7 hrs
Difficulty: 3 / 5Strenuous
Grid ref: NN361381
Parking: NN317355
Nearest city: Fort William· 44km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).

No GPX track yet

Walked this route? Share your track to help other walkers.

Submit your GPX

Standard route

estate track 35% · open grass 35% · broad ridge 20% · summit dome 10%

15km · 709m ascent · 4.2 hrs

Like its Auch neighbours, the hill is reached from Auch on the A82. Walk in past Auch farm and along the West Highland Way before climbing into Auch Gleann via the estate track. Where the glen opens out, push pathless east up grass slopes to gain the broad south ridge of Beinn nam Fuaran. An undemanding pull up the ridge ends at the cairn. About 15km out-and-back with 709m of climbing for the hill alone. Most parties include it on a long Auch round.

Terrain

The Auch farm track and West Highland Way path give a firm approach. The Auch Gleann estate track is rougher but bike-able. Off the track the ground is tussocky grass with patches of bog; the broad ridge above is short grass. No exposure or rocky steps. The summit dome is featureless and demands compass work in mist; the cairn is easy to miss.

In winter

A reliable winter Corbett — gentle gradients, no avalanche risk, no cornicing on the broad ridge. The A82 corridor and Auch farm access are gritted. The Auch Gleann track ices over in cold snaps; bikes become unrideable. Daylight is short but the close approach keeps the day manageable.

Kit for this: the winter Munro kit list · which boots take crampons

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Beinn nam Fuaran. SAIS forecasts six areas only — Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber, Glencoe and Torridon — and this hill is outside all of them, so there is no avalanche forecast to read for it. In winter, use MWIS Southeastern Highlands ↗ for mountain weather, judge snow stability from first principles, and treat any cornice or wind-loaded slope with extra caution.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow2h 49m
Edinburgh2h 21m

Parking: NN317355

OS maps: OS Landranger 50

Mobile signal: Reasonable signal on the A82 corridor; intermittent in Auch Gleann

Current conditions

Daylight Today

11h 50mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 07:48
Sunset: 18:22
Civil dawn: 07:10
Civil dusk: 19:00

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 October 2026

Got a photo of Beinn nam Fuaran?

30 seconds, helps other walkers.

Submit a photo

Walked it with a GPX?

From your watch or phone.

Submit GPX

Trip report?

Share what it was actually like.

Get in touch →

Around Beinn nam Fuaran on the SCOT network

Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Kinlochleven

West Highland Way stop under the Mamores

29km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

Before you go

Hillwalking carries real risk and the responsibility for any day on the hill is yours. Conditions in Scotland change fast and can differ sharply from the forecast — check the weather and the ground before you commit, turn back when the day stops working, and carry map and compass with the ability to use them rather than relying on a phone.

The distance, ascent and time shown on this page are editorial estimates for the usual line, not measurements from a recorded track — that is what the ~ means. Treat them as a rough shape of the day. Your own pace, the conditions and the exact line you take will all move them.

Mountain forecasts: MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast. Access rights and responsibilities are set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

We check what we publish, but we cannot check the route on the day you walk it. Nothing here is a substitute for your own judgement.

Beinn nam Fuaran — common questions

Is Beinn nam Fuaran a hard climb?: Beinn nam Fuaran is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 15km with 709m of ascent and takes most walkers 4-7 hours. Ground conditions: The Auch farm track and West Highland Way path give a firm approach.
How much drop does Beinn nam Fuaran have?: The drop is 260m: measured from the summit of Beinn nam Fuaran down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
Where's the parking for Beinn nam Fuaran?: Park at NN317355. Double-check the grid reference on an OS map first; informal laybys here fill early in high season.
What's the best month to climb Beinn nam Fuaran?: Aim for April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Beinn nam Fuaran. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.
Can dogs go up Beinn nam Fuaran?: Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.
Will I get phone signal on Beinn nam Fuaran?: Reasonable signal on the A82 corridor; intermittent in Auch Gleann
Is Beinn nam Fuaran safe in winter?: A reliable winter Corbett — gentle gradients, no avalanche risk, no cornicing on the broad ridge. The A82 corridor and Auch farm access are gritted. The Auch Gleann track ices over in cold snaps; bikes become unrideable. Daylight is short but the close approach keeps the day manageable.

Get the OutdoorSCOT weekly

One email a week — new route, hill and bothy guides, seasonal conditions and the odd hard-won lesson. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.