What difficulty is An Cuaidh?

On the OutdoorSCOT scale, An Cuaidh comes in at 1/5 — easy. Underfoot: Sodden coastal moor laced with small lochans and gneiss knolls.

What is An Cuaidh's prominence?

161m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links An Cuaidh to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.

When is the best time to climb An Cuaidh?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on An Cuaidh. 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 An Cuaidh dog-friendly?

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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Marilyn · Torridon

An Cuaidh

An Cuaidh — possibly the cup, from cuach — reaches 296m at NG 765 891 on the Rubha Mor peninsula north of Mellon Charles. The name may refer to a small cup-shaped corrie on its northern face, where the only steeper ground breaks the otherwise rolling moor.

Quick facts

Height: 296m/ 971ft
Prominence: 161 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NG 76503 89114
Nearest city: Inverness· 100km
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 55% · rocky slopes 30% · grass slopes 15%

GPX needed

Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

Start near Mellon Charles and follow a faint path north onto open ground. The summit is a short rise from the surrounding moorland. Around 2-3 hours including the lochan-strewn approach.

Terrain

Sodden coastal moor laced with small lochans and gneiss knolls. Picking dry lines between the wet bits is the chief route-finding skill; no underfoot challenge above that.

In winter

Genuinely sea-edge — snow seldom lies. Gales off the Atlantic are the dominant hazard, with the open ground giving no shelter. A clear, calm winter morning gives one of the finest sea panoramas in the country.

This hill is in the Torridon SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow6h 27m
Edinburgh8h 16m

OS maps: OS Landranger 19, OS Explorer 434

Mobile signal: Poor. Signal completely absent; consult a paper map and carry an emergency device.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

18h 23mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 05:13
Sunset: 21:46
Civil dawn: 04:18
Civil dusk: 22:41

NOAA Solar Calculator · 30 July 2026

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Around An Cuaidh on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Plockton station

Coastal Wester Ross; Plockton village; Skye Bridge approach

56km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Ullapool

Main NW Highlands hub; Hebrides ferry; Inverpolly access

36km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

An Cuaidh — common questions

What difficulty is An Cuaidh?: On the OutdoorSCOT scale, An Cuaidh comes in at 1/5 — easy. Underfoot: Sodden coastal moor laced with small lochans and gneiss knolls.
What is An Cuaidh's prominence?: 161m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links An Cuaidh to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.
When is the best time to climb An Cuaidh?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on An Cuaidh. 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 An Cuaidh 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 An Cuaidh?: Poor. Signal completely absent; consult a paper map and carry an emergency device.
Is An Cuaidh safe in winter?: Genuinely sea-edge — snow seldom lies. Gales off the Atlantic are the dominant hazard, with the open ground giving no shelter. A clear, calm winter morning gives one of the finest sea panoramas in the country.

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