Graham · Cairngorms
Cat Law
Cat Law (670m) is a broad heather plateau north of Kirriemuir in the NO31 square, the highest of the Angus outlier hills standing between Glen Prosen and Glen Isla. The tiny summit cairn looks south over Strathmore to the Sidlaws and Firth of Tay, and north into the heart of the Cairngorms by way of Lochnagar.
Quick facts
- Height
- 670.4m/ 2199ft
- Prominence
- 297 m
- Distance
- 13 km
- Ascent
- 549 m
- Time
- 3–6 hrs
- Grid ref
- NO318610
- Parking
- NO295642
- Nearest city
- Dundee· 32km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).
No GPX track yet
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Standard route
heather moorland 65% · grass slopes 25% · summit plateau 10%
Park at the road end at Kilry on the B951 west of Kirriemuir and take the estate road north toward the Kilry Plantation. A managed grouse-moor track gains the south-east shoulder, then a quad rut runs through ankle-deep heather to the tiny cairn perched on a low rise. The line is unmistakable in clear weather but vague in cloud.
Terrain
Estate tracks on the lower flank give quick going to around 500m, then short well-managed grouse heather dominates the plateau. The summit cairn is tiny and sits on a featureless rise; quad ruts come and go but do not lead unfailingly to the top.
In winter
Angus heather hills hold patchy snow with deeper drifts in the burn heads on the north side. The plateau itself blows clean in any wind but the tiny cairn becomes hard to locate in cloud. Wind chill from north-easterlies off the sea is bracing but rarely dangerous on this short outing.
This hill is in the Northern Cairngorms SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 33m
- Edinburgh2h 51m
OS maps: OS Landranger 44
Mobile signal: Decent up top; EE rarely drops. Prominent Angus hill above Kirriemuir.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:39
- Sunset
- 21:57
- Civil dawn
- 03:39
- Civil dusk
- 22:57
NOAA Solar Calculator · 13 July 2026
Around Cat Law on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Dundee station
Glens of Angus; Lochnagar via Glen Doll; V&A waterfront
32km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Dunkeld
Southern Cairngorms gateway — Hermitage, Loch of the Lowes
34km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Royal Lochnagar
Balmoral — Queen Victoria's favourite; eastern Cairngorms setting
30km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Cat Law — common questions
- How hard is Cat Law?
- We grade Cat Law at 3/5, which puts it in moderately challenging territory. The usual route is around 13km with 549m of climbing; allow 3-6 hours. Ground conditions: Estate tracks on the lower flank give quick going to around 500m, then short well-managed grouse heather dominates the plateau.
- How much drop does Cat Law have?
- The drop is 297m: measured from the summit of Cat Law down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
- Where's the parking for Cat Law?
- Park at NO295642. 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 Cat Law?
- Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November on Cat Law. 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 Cat Law?
- 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 Cat Law?
- Decent up top; EE rarely drops. Prominent Angus hill above Kirriemuir.
- Is Cat Law safe in winter?
- Angus heather hills hold patchy snow with deeper drifts in the burn heads on the north side. The plateau itself blows clean in any wind but the tiny cairn becomes hard to locate in cloud. Wind chill from north-easterlies off the sea is bracing but rarely dangerous on this short outing.
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