What difficulty is Beinn Bhan?

On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Beinn Bhan comes in at 1/5 — easy. Ground conditions: Sheep-cropped grass and short heather make up most of the hill, with a few low schist outcrops near the top.

How much drop does Beinn Bhan have?

The drop is 241m: measured from the summit of Beinn Bhan down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain. Passing the 150m-drop threshold on all sides is exactly what makes it a Marilyn.

What's the best month to climb Beinn Bhan?

Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Beinn Bhan. 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 Beinn Bhan?

Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.

By Gary Innes

Photo: Patrick Mackie / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

Submit a photo

Marilyn · Argyll

Beinn Bhan

This 319m Beinn Bhan (White Hill) stands on the Kintyre peninsula near Skipness, looking across Kilbrannan Sound to Arran. Its pale grass crown picks out the name in bright weather.

Gaelic: “mountain, fair” · Pronunciation: bine vahn

Quick facts

Height: 319m/ 1047ft
Prominence: 241 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NR 85688 99802
Nearest city: Oban· 30km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).

No GPX track yet

Walked this route? Share your track to help other walkers.

Submit your GPX

Standard route

heather and bog 65% · grass slopes 25% · rocky summit 10%

GPX needed

Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

Walks usually start from the B8001 near Skipness, following minor tracks before climbing pathless heather and grass to the summit. About 2 to 3 hours suffices for the round.

Terrain

Sheep-cropped grass and short heather make up most of the hill, with a few low schist outcrops near the top. Drier underfoot than many mid-Argyll Marilyns.

In winter

Atlantic-mild for most of winter but the exposed summit catches strong westerlies straight off the sea. Snow rarely lies more than briefly.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow3h 11m
Edinburgh6h 52m

OS maps: OS Landranger 55, OS Explorer 358N, OS Explorer 360S

Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Argyll/Cowal; limited coverage.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

17h 54mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 05:21
Sunset: 21:36
Civil dawn: 04:31
Civil dusk: 22:25

NOAA Solar Calculator · 30 July 2026

Got a photo of Beinn Bhan?

30 seconds, helps other walkers.

Submit a photo

Walked it with a GPX?

From your watch or phone.

Submit GPX

Trip report?

Share what it was actually like.

Get in touch →

Around Beinn Bhan on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Oban station

Argyll ferry hub; Mull, Lismore, Coll, Tiree, Barra connections

30km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Oban

Argyll ferry hub — Mull, Lismore, Coll, Tiree, Barra

30km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

Beinn Bhan — common questions

What difficulty is Beinn Bhan?: On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Beinn Bhan comes in at 1/5 — easy. Ground conditions: Sheep-cropped grass and short heather make up most of the hill, with a few low schist outcrops near the top.
How much drop does Beinn Bhan have?: The drop is 241m: measured from the summit of Beinn Bhan down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain. Passing the 150m-drop threshold on all sides is exactly what makes it a Marilyn.
What's the best month to climb Beinn Bhan?: Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Beinn Bhan. 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 Beinn Bhan?: 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 Beinn Bhan?: Poor. Remote Argyll/Cowal; limited coverage.
Is Beinn Bhan safe in winter?: Atlantic-mild for most of winter but the exposed summit catches strong westerlies straight off the sea. Snow rarely lies more than briefly.

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.