How difficult is Tinto?

Tinto carries a 1/5 (easy) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 8km, 480m of ascent and a 2-3 hour day on the standard route. Ground conditions: Wide engineered path the entire way.

How much drop does Tinto have?

The drop is 443m: measured from the summit of Tinto down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.

Where's the parking for Tinto?

Park at NS964374 near Lanark. 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 Tinto?

Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November on Tinto. 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 Tinto?

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: Iain Lees / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Donald · Southern Uplands

Tinto

The most-walked hill in Lanarkshire and a brilliant first Donald for Central Belt walkers. Sits in splendid isolation overlooking the upper Clyde valley with a Bronze Age cairn on the summit.

Quick facts

Height: 711.6m/ 2335ft
Prominence: 443 m
Distance: ~8 km
Ascent: ~480 m
Time: 2–3 hrs
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NS953343
Parking: NS964374
Nearest: Lanark· Glasgow 47km
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

grass moorland 65% · heather slopes 25% · rocky summit 10%

8km · 480m ascent · 3 hrs

Standard route from Fallburn car park near Symington. Wide stone path up the north ridge — the busiest hill path in southern Scotland on a sunny weekend.

Terrain

Wide engineered path the entire way. Family-friendly.

In winter

Gets snow Dec-Feb. Path stays obvious. A good winter introduction.

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

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Tinto. 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 Southern Uplands ↗ 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

Glasgow1h 0m
Edinburgh1h 0m

Parking: NS964374ML12 6FN

OS maps: OS Explorer 335

Mobile signal: First-rate summit signal; all major networks strong. Popular hill with clear sight lines to Glasgow.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

11h 51mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 07:42
Sunset: 18:19
Civil dawn: 07:05
Civil dusk: 18:56

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 October 2026

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Around Tinto on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Glasgow Queen Street

West Highland Line southern terminus; Highland Main Line

48km 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.

Tinto — common questions

How difficult is Tinto?: Tinto carries a 1/5 (easy) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 8km, 480m of ascent and a 2-3 hour day on the standard route. Ground conditions: Wide engineered path the entire way.
How much drop does Tinto have?: The drop is 443m: measured from the summit of Tinto down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
Where's the parking for Tinto?: Park at NS964374 near Lanark. 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 Tinto?: Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November on Tinto. 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 Tinto?: 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 Tinto?: First-rate summit signal; all major networks strong. Popular hill with clear sight lines to Glasgow.
Is Tinto safe in winter?: Gets snow Dec-Feb. Path stays obvious. A good winter introduction.

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