How difficult is Carn Ban?

Carn Ban carries a 3/5 (moderately challenging) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 30km, 700m of ascent and a 7-11 hour day on the standard route. Underfoot: Long Strathvaich Lodge estate track — well-built, ideal for cycling.

What is Carn Ban's prominence?

205m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Carn Ban to the next higher ground.

Where do I park for Carn Ban?

Most walkers start from NH349720 near Ullapool. Verify the grid reference on an OS map before you set off — space is tight on busy summer weekends.

When is the best time to climb Carn Ban?

May, June, July, August, September give the most reliable conditions on Carn Ban. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.

Is Carn Ban dog-friendly?

Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.

By the OutdoorSCOT editor

Photo: Dave Coustick / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Corbett · North-West Highlands

Carn Ban

Càrn Bàn — 'the white cairn' — is the 843m Corbett standing in the remote upper reaches of Strath Vaich, north of Garve. The mountain sits within the Strathvaich deer forest, and the standard approach is via a long estate track that drives east from the A835 into the heart of the deer country. The summit gives a striking view across Inverlael forest to An Teallach and toward Beinn Dearg. A genuinely empty hill day; you can walk a full round without meeting another party.

Gaelic: “cairn-topped hill, fair” · Pronunciation: karn bahn

Quick facts

Height: 843.3m/ 2767ft
Prominence: 205 m
Distance: ~30 km
Ascent: ~700 m
Time: 7–11 hrs
Difficulty: 3 / 5Strenuous
Grid ref: NH338875
Parking: NH349720
Nearest: Ullapool· Inverness 53km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

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

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Standard route

estate track 30% · bog and heather 40% · plateau grass 20% · summit area 10%

30km · 700m ascent · 9 hrs

Park at the small layby near Black Bridge on the A835 (NH349720), just north of the Aultguish Inn. Cycle or walk the Strathvaich estate track east-north-east for around 10km to the head of Loch Vaich, then climb north-east onto Càrn Bàn's broad south ridge. The route gains the summit cairn through short grass and peat. Return reverses the line — bike makes the day materially shorter. Allow 9–10 hours on foot, 7 with a bike.

Terrain

Long Strathvaich Lodge estate track — well-built, ideal for cycling. Beyond the track end the going is heather, peat hag and short grass. The summit area is broad and gently rolling; in cloud, the broad plateau demands accurate compass work. Stalking activity restricts access in deer season — check before driving up.

In winter

A long winter day in remote country. Drift builds along the Strathvaich track in north-easterly winds and the bike has to be left behind once snow lies. Cover persists for weeks on the broad summit. No phone signal anywhere beyond the A835. Plan with a hard turn-back time given the midwinter daylight window.

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

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Carn Ban. 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 The Northwest 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

Glasgow4h 18m
Edinburgh4h 28m

Parking: NH349720IV23 2PR

OS maps: OS Landranger 20

Mobile signal: Brief EE/Vodafone at the A835 layby; no usable signal once into Strathvaich. The whole catchment is a mobile blackspot

Current conditions

Daylight Today

11h 47mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 07:51
Sunset: 18:20
Civil dawn: 07:12
Civil dusk: 18:59

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 October 2026

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Around Carn Ban on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Ardgay station

Kyle of Sutherland; Croick; Far North Line

26km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Ullapool

Main NW Highlands hub; Hebrides ferry; Inverpolly access

22km 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.

Carn Ban — common questions

How difficult is Carn Ban?: Carn Ban carries a 3/5 (moderately challenging) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 30km, 700m of ascent and a 7-11 hour day on the standard route. Underfoot: Long Strathvaich Lodge estate track — well-built, ideal for cycling.
What is Carn Ban's prominence?: 205m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Carn Ban to the next higher ground.
Where do I park for Carn Ban?: Most walkers start from NH349720 near Ullapool. Verify the grid reference on an OS map before you set off — space is tight on busy summer weekends.
When is the best time to climb Carn Ban?: May, June, July, August, September give the most reliable conditions on Carn Ban. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
Is Carn Ban dog-friendly?: Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
Is there mobile signal on Carn Ban?: Brief EE/Vodafone at the A835 layby; no usable signal once into Strathvaich. The whole catchment is a mobile blackspot
Is Carn Ban safe in winter?: A long winter day in remote country. Drift builds along the Strathvaich track in north-easterly winds and the bike has to be left behind once snow lies. Cover persists for weeks on the broad summit. No phone signal anywhere beyond the A835. Plan with a hard turn-back time given the midwinter daylight window.

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