Corbett · Cairngorms
Meallach Mhor
Meallach Mhor — "the big lumpy hill" — is the 769m Corbett at the head of Glen Tromie, on the western fringe of the Gaick Forest deer-country south of Aviemore. The hill is paired with A' Chaoirnich across the upper glen. The summit is a blocky embedded granite boulder on a wide heather plateau with views east into the Gaick wilderness, west to the Monadhliath, and a striking close-range outlook over the south Cairngorm massif.
Gaelic: “big” · Pronunciation: meallach vore
Quick facts
- Height
- 769m/ 2523ft
- Prominence
- 234 m
- Distance
- 14 km
- Ascent
- 631 m
- Time
- 4–7 hrs
- Grid ref
- NN776908
- Parking
- NN789998
- Nearest city
- Inverness· 55km
- 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% · heather moorland 45% · grassy plateau 15% · summit area 10%
Park at Tromie Bridge on the B970 south of Kingussie and follow the estate road south up Glen Tromie. After roughly 6km on the track — ideally by bike — step off it and pull up open heather to the east, gaining the broad south ridge of Meallach Mhor. An even-graded pull up the ridge brings the cairn. Roughly 14km return with 631m of climbing from the Bhran Cottage area; longer if doing the full Tromie Bridge approach on foot.
Terrain
The Glen Tromie estate road is firm gravel and bike-friendly. Off the road the hillside is rough heather and tussock — slow walking. The broad summit plateau is short heather and granite gravel with the embedded boulder cairn at the highest point. No scrambling, no exposure. Stalking activity through the Gaick from August to October.
In winter
A bleak winter day in empty Gaick country — the open plateau catches full continental easterly weather. No avalanche slopes on the broad slopes. The Tromie Bridge road is single-track; ice forms readily. Most parties find the long approach more cumbersome under snow without bikes.
This hill is in the Northern Cairngorms SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 42m
- Edinburgh3h 41m
OS maps: OS Landranger 35
Mobile signal: No signal across the Gaick Forest interior; intermittent at Tromie Bridge
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:41
- Sunset
- 22:03
- Civil dawn
- 03:40
- Civil dusk
- 23:04
NOAA Solar Calculator · 13 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Meallach Mhor.
Around Meallach Mhor on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Kingussie station
Cairngorms south side; Glen Feshie; Insh Marshes; Monadhliath access
10km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Aviemore
Cairngorms base — Strathspey valley, ski centre, train
25km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie — Scotland's highest distillery on the Drumochter pass
15km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Meallach Mhor — common questions
- What difficulty is Meallach Mhor?
- On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Meallach Mhor comes in at 2/5 — moderate. Expect roughly 14km and 631m of ascent on the usual route — 4-7 hours for most parties. Ground conditions: The Glen Tromie estate road is firm gravel and bike-friendly.
- How much drop does Meallach Mhor have?
- The drop is 234m: measured from the summit of Meallach Mhor down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
- Where's the parking for Meallach Mhor?
- Park at NN789998. 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 Meallach Mhor?
- Aim for April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Meallach Mhor. 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 Meallach Mhor?
- 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 Meallach Mhor?
- No signal across the Gaick Forest interior; intermittent at Tromie Bridge
- Is Meallach Mhor safe in winter?
- A bleak winter day in empty Gaick country — the open plateau catches full continental easterly weather. No avalanche slopes on the broad slopes. The Tromie Bridge road is single-track; ice forms readily. Most parties find the long approach more cumbersome under snow without bikes.
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