How difficult is Beinn Clachach?

Beinn Clachach carries a 3/5 (moderately challenging) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 12km, 482m of ascent and a 3-5 hour day on the standard route. Underfoot: Estate path then trackless boulder-strewn heather above Loch nan Eun.

What is Beinn Clachach's prominence?

228m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Beinn Clachach to the next higher ground.

Where do I park for Beinn Clachach?

Most walkers start from NG846119. 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 Beinn Clachach?

May, June, July, August, September give the most reliable conditions on Beinn Clachach. 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 Beinn Clachach 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: Richard Webb / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Graham · Kintail

Beinn Clachach

Beinn Clachach (642m) — the stony hill — is a rough Lochalsh top in the NG81 square, looking north over the Sound of Sleat toward Knoydart. The summit pairing of rock and small cairn sits above Loch nan Eun, with views west to Skye that include the Cuillin on a clear day.

Quick facts

Height: 642.3m/ 2107ft
Prominence: 228 m
Distance: ~12 km
Ascent: ~482 m
Time: 3–5 hrs
Difficulty: 3 / 5Strenuous
Grid ref: NG885109
Parking: NG846119
Nearest city: Fort William· 43km
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

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

12km · 482m ascent · 3.2 hrs

Start from the lay-by north of Arnisdale on the minor road into Coire-shubh. Follow the estate path east up the burn, then strike north onto the open hillside past Loch nan Eun. Rough heather and boulder fields lead onto the south spur and so to the rocky summit beside the cairn.

Terrain

Estate path then trackless boulder-strewn heather above Loch nan Eun. The south spur has chunky Lewisian gneiss underfoot — slow going but secure. The cairn and rock pair are easily found in clear weather.

In winter

Arnisdale catches huge sea-level rainfall that turns to snow quickly above 400m. Beinn Clachach's boulder-fields ice over and become awkward to traverse without spikes. The road is single-track and seldom gritted, so winter access is the bigger problem than the hill itself.

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

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Beinn Clachach. 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

Glasgow3h 6m
Edinburgh4h 43m

Parking: NG846119

OS maps: OS Landranger 33

Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Arnisdale / Sound of Sleat coast; weak on all networks.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

11h 48mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 07:52
Sunset: 18:24
Civil dawn: 07:14
Civil dusk: 19:02

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 October 2026

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Around Beinn Clachach on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Kyle of Lochalsh station

Skye Bridge; Five Sisters of Kintail; Glen Shiel; Plockton

21km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Mallaig

Ferry port for Skye and the Small Isles; CWT finish supply

25km 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 Clachach — common questions

How difficult is Beinn Clachach?: Beinn Clachach carries a 3/5 (moderately challenging) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 12km, 482m of ascent and a 3-5 hour day on the standard route. Underfoot: Estate path then trackless boulder-strewn heather above Loch nan Eun.
What is Beinn Clachach's prominence?: 228m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Beinn Clachach to the next higher ground.
Where do I park for Beinn Clachach?: Most walkers start from NG846119. 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 Beinn Clachach?: May, June, July, August, September give the most reliable conditions on Beinn Clachach. 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 Beinn Clachach 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 Beinn Clachach?: Poor. Remote Arnisdale / Sound of Sleat coast; weak on all networks.
Is Beinn Clachach safe in winter?: Arnisdale catches huge sea-level rainfall that turns to snow quickly above 400m. Beinn Clachach's boulder-fields ice over and become awkward to traverse without spikes. The road is single-track and seldom gritted, so winter access is the bigger problem than the hill itself.

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