Marilyn · Glen Coe & Lochaber
An Grianan
An Grianan — the sunny place — is a 549m hill on the south side of upper Glen Etive at NN 075 478. Like other "grianan" tops in the Highlands the name implies an east- or south-facing aspect favoured for shielings. From the cairn the long arm of Loch Etive stretches south-west towards Bonawe and the Connel narrows.
Quick facts
- Height
- 549m/ 1801ft
- Grid ref
- NN 07516 47822
- Nearest city
- Fort William· 26km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
No GPX track yet
Walked this route? Share your track to help other walkers.
Standard route
heather moorland 60% · grass slopes 30% · rocky summit 10%
From the Glen Etive road near Coileitir, cross the river at the public bridge and climb the long south-east ridge through bracken and birch onto open hill. There is no continuous path; route-find around small crag bands to reach the summit.
Terrain
Atlantic oakwood and bracken on the lower hill, then heather, blaeberry and small crag bands on the ridge. The summit is a windswept patch of close-cropped grass with one weather-bleached cairn.
In winter
A west-facing ridge that catches plenty of low cloud and rain; snow rarely lasts long below 500m but the upper crags ice up quickly. The Glen Etive road can be impassable to ordinary cars after a major snowfall — check before driving in.
This hill is in the Glen Coe SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 57m
- Edinburgh5h 17m
OS maps: OS Landranger 50, OS Explorer 384
Mobile signal: Moderate. EE intermittent; better toward Loch Etive.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:29
- Sunset
- 22:13
- Civil dawn
- 03:24
- Civil dusk
- 23:19
NOAA Solar Calculator · 16 June 2026
Around An Grianan on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Loch Awe station
East shore Loch Awe; Ben Cruachan; Kilchurn Castle
21km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Fort William
Ben Nevis base, West Highland Line, gateway to Lochaber
26km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Oban
Oban town centre — tiny two-still distillery bridging Highland and West Coast styles
28km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
An Grianan — common questions
- How hard is An Grianan?
- An Grianan is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Terrain: Atlantic oakwood and bracken on the lower hill, then heather, blaeberry and small crag bands on the ridge.
- When is the best time to climb An Grianan?
- The standard good-weather months for An Grianan are March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. 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 An Grianan?
- 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 Grianan?
- Moderate. EE intermittent; better toward Loch Etive.
- Is An Grianan safe in winter?
- A west-facing ridge that catches plenty of low cloud and rain; snow rarely lasts long below 500m but the upper crags ice up quickly. The Glen Etive road can be impassable to ordinary cars after a major snowfall — check before driving in.
Get the OutdoorSCOT weekly
One email a week — new route, hill and bothy guides, seasonal conditions and the odd hard-won lesson. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.