Corbett · Central Highlands
Meall na h-Aisre
Meall na h-Aisre is a broad-shouldered Monadhliath Corbett south of the Corrieyairack Pass — the historic high-level military road built by General Wade to link Fort Augustus and Speyside. At 862m it is a hill of rolling peat and short heather rather than dramatic relief, with a slab of rock at the high point of a wide green dome. The view east into the heart of the Monadhliath plateau and west across the Great Glen to the Loch Lochy Munros gives it more presence than the gentle terrain might suggest.
Quick facts
- Height
- 862.1m/ 2828ft
- Distance
- 15 km
- Ascent
- 759 m
- Time
- 5–7 hrs
- Grid ref
- NH515000
- Parking
- NN462960
- Nearest city
- Inverness
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
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Standard route
military road 30% · open moor 40% · broad dome 25% · summit slab 5%
Drive up the public road from Laggan Bridge to the gate near Melgarve at the foot of the Corrieyairack Pass. Walk up the old military road for around 3km then leave it on its eastern bend and head up open heather and grass directly onto the broad south ridge of Meall na h-Aisre. Roughly 15km out-and-back with 759m of ascent. Many parties extend over Carn Dearg or Carn Ban for a Monadhliath double.
Terrain
The military road is one of the finest historic walking surfaces in the country — wide, gravelled and well drained. Off the track the ground is short heather and peat with patches of wet bog around small burns. The summit dome is short grass and crowberry with the slab cairn at the highest point. Featureless on the plateau in mist; navigation by bearing only.
In winter
A bleak winter Corbett — the Corrieyairack catches huge volumes of drifting snow and the high road itself is closed to vehicles year-round above Melgarve. The summit dome is featureless under fresh snow and disorientation is the main risk. The Laggan road in is single-track and not gritted past Garva Bridge; in heavy snow approach by snowshoe or ski becomes the only option.
This hill is in the Creag Meagaidh SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 52m
- Edinburgh3h 7m
OS maps: OS Landranger 35
Mobile signal: No signal on the Corrieyairack plateau
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:34
- Sunset
- 21:57
- Civil dawn
- 03:32
- Civil dusk
- 22:59
NOAA Solar Calculator · 31 May 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Meall na h-Aisre.
Around Meall na h-Aisre on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Dalwhinnie station
Highest mainline station; Drumochter Munros; Ben Alder approach
19km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Aviemore
Cairngorms base — Strathspey valley, ski centre, train
40km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie — Scotland's highest distillery on the Drumochter pass
19km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Meall na h-Aisre — common questions
- How hard is Meall na h-Aisre?
- Meall na h-Aisre is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 15km with 759m of ascent and takes most walkers 5-7 hours. Terrain: The military road is one of the finest historic walking surfaces in the country — wide, gravelled and well drained.
- Where do I park for Meall na h-Aisre?
- Standard parking is at NN462960 near Inverness. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.
- When is the best time to climb Meall na h-Aisre?
- The standard good-weather months for Meall na h-Aisre are May, June, July, August, September, October. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.
- Can I bring my dog up Meall na h-Aisre?
- 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 Meall na h-Aisre?
- No signal on the Corrieyairack plateau
- Is Meall na h-Aisre safe in winter?
- A bleak winter Corbett — the Corrieyairack catches huge volumes of drifting snow and the high road itself is closed to vehicles year-round above Melgarve. The summit dome is featureless under fresh snow and disorientation is the main risk. The Laggan road in is single-track and not gritted past Garva Bridge; in heavy snow approach by snowshoe or ski becomes the only option.