How hard is Creag Dhubh?

We grade Creag Dhubh at 4/5, which puts it in challenging territory. The usual route is around 14km with 617m of climbing; allow 4-7 hours. Underfoot: Steep heather between rock bands on ascent — care needed picking a line.

What is Creag Dhubh's prominence?

388m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Creag Dhubh to the next higher ground.

Where do I park for Creag Dhubh?

Most walkers start from NN688957. 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 Creag Dhubh?

April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Creag Dhubh. 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 Creag Dhubh 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: Steven Brown / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Graham · Central Highlands

Creag Dhubh

A craggy ridge rising directly above the A86 west of Newtonmore, famous as the rallying-cry hill of Clan Macpherson and adorned with broken crag faces well known to rock climbers. The compact summit ridge gives a stunning ground-level view across the upper Spey to the Cairngorms.

Gaelic: “crag, black” · Pronunciation: krayg goo

Quick facts

Height: 752.9m/ 2470ft
Prominence: 388 m
Distance: ~14 km
Ascent: ~617 m
Time: 4–7 hrs
Difficulty: 4 / 5Serious
Grid ref: NN677972
Parking: NN688957
Nearest city: Inverness· 48km
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

moorland path 25% · heather hillside 45% · rocky upper slopes 20% · summit area 10%

14km · 617m ascent · 3.8 hrs

Most parties park at the layby east of Lochan Ovie and tackle the steep crag-bordered south flank by zigzagging up rakes between buttresses, before a short walk along the ridge to the summit. A traverse east-to-west or west-to-east is the usual outing.

Terrain

Steep heather between rock bands on ascent — care needed picking a line. The ridge itself is short, grassy and easy. Some greasy slabs in wet weather.

In winter

Verglas on the rakes between the crag bands turns this into a serious mixed proposition. Sub-800m height means snow cover is intermittent and conditions change hour by hour as fronts sweep up the Spey.

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

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Creag Dhubh. 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 West 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 48m
Edinburgh3h 54m

Parking: NN688957

OS maps: OS Landranger 35, OS Explorer 401

Mobile signal: Intermittent signal near Newtonmore; brief coverage on the summit

Current conditions

Daylight Today

11h 49mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 07:47
Sunset: 18:19
Civil dawn: 07:08
Civil dusk: 18:57

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 October 2026

Pair with

Curated multi-hill combinations from Creag Dhubh.

Two-hill day
Creag Dhubh + Carn an Fhreiceadain
Link with Carn an Fhreiceadain (Kingussie) for a Badenoch double above the Spey valley
24km · 1200m ascent · 9 hrs

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Around Creag Dhubh on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Kingussie station

Cairngorms south side; Glen Feshie; Insh Marshes; Monadhliath access

9km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Newtonmore

Creag Meagaidh and Monadhliath access, Wildcat trails

4km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Dalwhinnie

Dalwhinnie — Scotland's highest distillery on the Drumochter pass

13km from the hill

tastescot.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.

Creag Dhubh — common questions

How hard is Creag Dhubh?: We grade Creag Dhubh at 4/5, which puts it in challenging territory. The usual route is around 14km with 617m of climbing; allow 4-7 hours. Underfoot: Steep heather between rock bands on ascent — care needed picking a line.
What is Creag Dhubh's prominence?: 388m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Creag Dhubh to the next higher ground.
Where do I park for Creag Dhubh?: Most walkers start from NN688957. 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 Creag Dhubh?: April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Creag Dhubh. 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 Creag Dhubh 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 Creag Dhubh?: Intermittent signal near Newtonmore; brief coverage on the summit
Is Creag Dhubh safe in winter?: Verglas on the rakes between the crag bands turns this into a serious mixed proposition. Sub-800m height means snow cover is intermittent and conditions change hour by hour as fronts sweep up the Spey.

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