Graham · Luss Hills
Cruach an t-Sidhein
Cruach an t-Sidhein — the fairy hill — is the awkward western outlier of the Luss Grahams, the steep grassy group on the west side of Loch Lomond. It is a shapely hill in its own right, but its position tucked out beyond Doune Hill makes it the trickiest of the Luss tops to reach, which keeps it quiet. The reward is a clean view east over Loch Lomond to Ben Lomond and south down the Firth of Clyde.
Quick facts
- Height
- 683.6m/ 2243ft
- Prominence
- 169 m
- Distance
- 11 km
- Ascent
- 720 m
- Time
- 4–6 hrs
- Grid ref
- NS275964
- Nearest
- Luss· Glasgow 44km
- 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
open hillside 55% · steep grass 30% · bog 15%
Most walkers take Cruach an t-Sidhein as the far point of a Luss Hills round, dropping west off Beinn Lochain to the intervening bealach and climbing the steep grassy east flank to the summit. Approached on its own it is a steep pull from Glen Luss or Glen Mollochan over rough, pathless grass. As an out-and-back outlier expect around 11km and 720m of ascent; allow 4–6 hours depending on how many of the neighbouring Grahams you take in.
Terrain
Predominantly steep grass, with no continuous path and a fair amount of rough, tussocky and boggy ground between the Luss tops. Straightforward going in dry weather but slippery and tiring when wet; the connecting bealachs add ascent on a multi-Graham round.
In winter
Low enough to be snow-free much of the winter, but the steep grass flanks become hard and slick under frost or old snow, when an axe and confidence on grass are worth having. Short daylight and the pathless ground make navigation the main concern in poor visibility.
This hill is in the Southern Highlands SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow1h 20m
- Edinburgh2h 0m
OS maps: OS Explorer 364, OS Landranger 56
Mobile signal: Reasonable lower down near Loch Lomond; patchy on the western tops.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:35
- Sunset
- 21:14
- Civil dawn
- 04:49
- Civil dusk
- 22:00
NOAA Solar Calculator · 8 August 2026
Around Cruach an t-Sidhein on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Arrochar & Tarbet station
Arrochar Alps — The Cobbler, Beinn Ime, Beinn Narnain, Ben Vane, Ben Vorlich
9km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Luss
West Loch Lomond village — Highland Boundary, Loch Lomond Way
9km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Loch Lomond
Alexandria — sprawling distillery on the south end of the loch
20km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Cruach an t-Sidhein — common questions
- How difficult is Cruach an t-Sidhein?
- Cruach an t-Sidhein carries a 3/5 (moderately challenging) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 11km, 720m of ascent and a 4-6 hour day on the standard route. Ground conditions: Predominantly steep grass, with no continuous path and a fair amount of rough, tussocky and boggy ground between the Luss tops.
- How much drop does Cruach an t-Sidhein have?
- The drop is 169m: measured from the summit of Cruach an t-Sidhein down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
- What's the best month to climb Cruach an t-Sidhein?
- Aim for April, May, June, September, October on Cruach an t-Sidhein. 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 Cruach an t-Sidhein?
- 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 Cruach an t-Sidhein?
- Reasonable lower down near Loch Lomond; patchy on the western tops.
- Is Cruach an t-Sidhein safe in winter?
- Low enough to be snow-free much of the winter, but the steep grass flanks become hard and slick under frost or old snow, when an axe and confidence on grass are worth having. Short daylight and the pathless ground make navigation the main concern in poor visibility.
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