How hard is Creag Tharsuinn?

Creag Tharsuinn is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 12km with 482m of ascent and takes most walkers 3-5 hours. Terrain: Forestry road and firebreak first, then heather and bog underfoot once on the crest.

Where do I park for Creag Tharsuinn?

Standard parking is at NS028873 near Oban. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.

When is the best time to climb Creag Tharsuinn?

The standard good-weather months for Creag Tharsuinn are March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.

Can I bring my dog up Creag Tharsuinn?

Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.

How hard is Creag Tharsuinn?

Creag Tharsuinn is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 12km with 482m of ascent and takes most walkers 3-5 hours. Terrain: Forestry road and firebreak first, then heather and bog underfoot once on the crest.

Where do I park for Creag Tharsuinn?

Standard parking is at NS028873 near Oban. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.

When is the best time to climb Creag Tharsuinn?

The standard good-weather months for Creag Tharsuinn are March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.

Can I bring my dog up Creag Tharsuinn?

Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.

By Gary Innes

Photo: Richard Webb / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Graham · Argyll & Bute

Creag Tharsuinn

Creag Tharsuinn (643m) — the transverse crag — is the highest point of the Cowal peninsula in the NS08 square, looking south down Loch Striven and east over the Clyde to Arran. A flat rock marks the high point of a long heathery ridge cut by mature plantation on the lower slopes.

Quick facts

Height: 643m/ 2110ft
Distance: 12 km
Ascent: 482 m
Time: 3–5 hrs
Difficulty: 3 / 5Strenuous
Grid ref: NS087913
Parking: NS028873
Nearest city: Oban
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

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Standard route

heather moorland 60% · grass slopes 25% · rocky summit 15%

12km · 482m ascent · 3.2 hrs

Park at the head of Glendaruel where the B836 starts climbing east toward Loch Striven. Take the forestry road south, leaving it on a firebreak that strikes east up the ridge. Above the trees, the heathery crest leads gently south-east over false tops to the flat-rock summit on the east edge of the ridge.

Terrain

Forestry road and firebreak first, then heather and bog underfoot once on the crest. The flat-rock summit is unobtrusive and lies a short distance east of the obvious ridge cairn — confirm by altitude rather than landmark.

In winter

Cowal's maritime air keeps the ridge mostly snow-free, but cold easterlies plaster the heather with rime and ice. The firebreaks fill with drifted snow and become hard work; on the ridge itself, mist is the real difficulty as the false tops repeat themselves.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow1h 21m
Edinburgh3h 31m

Parking: NS028873

OS maps: OS Landranger 56

Mobile signal: Moderate. EE on the ridge for Clyde views; weaker in the plantation.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

19h 04mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 04:43
Sunset: 21:53
Civil dawn: 03:46
Civil dusk: 22:50

NOAA Solar Calculator · 31 May 2026

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Around Creag Tharsuinn on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Gourock station

Ferry to Dunoon and Kilcreggan; Inverclyde coast walks

20km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Rothesay

Isle of Bute base; West Island Way; short Glasgow break

26km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

Creag Tharsuinn — common questions

How hard is Creag Tharsuinn?: Creag Tharsuinn is rated 3/5 (moderately challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 12km with 482m of ascent and takes most walkers 3-5 hours. Terrain: Forestry road and firebreak first, then heather and bog underfoot once on the crest.
Where do I park for Creag Tharsuinn?: Standard parking is at NS028873 near Oban. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.
When is the best time to climb Creag Tharsuinn?: The standard good-weather months for Creag Tharsuinn are March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.
Can I bring my dog up Creag Tharsuinn?: 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 Tharsuinn?: Moderate. EE on the ridge for Clyde views; weaker in the plantation.
Is Creag Tharsuinn safe in winter?: Cowal's maritime air keeps the ridge mostly snow-free, but cold easterlies plaster the heather with rime and ice. The firebreaks fill with drifted snow and become hard work; on the ridge itself, mist is the real difficulty as the false tops repeat themselves.