Is Ben Dearg a hard climb?

Ben Dearg is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: Once off the Storr tourist trail the path fades to grass and peat with occasional outcrops.

What is Ben Dearg's prominence?

221m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Ben Dearg 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 Ben Dearg?

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

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

By Gary

Photo: John Allan / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Skye & The Small Isles

Ben Dearg

This Ben Dearg sits a few kilometres north of the iconic Old Man of Storr on the Trotternish escarpment. The NG 47 50 grid puts the summit on the same north-south spine but on the southern half of the ridge, with steep eastern crags facing the Sound of Raasay.

Gaelic: “mountain, red” · Pronunciation: ben jerr-ak

Quick facts

Height: 552m/ 1811ft
Prominence: 221 m
Difficulty: 2 / 5Moderate
Grid ref: NG 47840 50412
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 45% · rocky slopes 40% · grass slopes 15%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

From the Storr car park (NG 50 53) follow the tourist path past the pinnacles before peeling off north-west up grassy slopes to gain the ridge. The summit lies a short walk north along the cliff-top. Around 11 km return with 620m of climb.

Terrain

Once off the Storr tourist trail the path fades to grass and peat with occasional outcrops. The eastern cliff edge is undercut in places — keep well clear in cloud or strong wind.

In winter

A combination of sea-level base and high east-facing crags gives this section of Trotternish unusual rime ice formations. Cornice build-up after easterly storms is significant and well documented.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Ben Dearg. SAIS forecasts six areas only — Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber, Glencoe and Torridon — and this hill is outside all of them, so there is no avalanche forecast to read for it. In winter, use MWIS The Northwest Highlands ↗ for mountain weather, judge snow stability from first principles, and treat any cornice or wind-loaded slope with extra caution.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow7h 34m
Edinburgh9h 45m

OS maps: OS Landranger 23, OS Explorer 408, OS Explorer 409

Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Skye; coverage here is marginal.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 15mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:52
Sunset: 19:49
Civil dawn: 06:13
Civil dusk: 20:28

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026

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Around Ben Dearg on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Kyle of Lochalsh station

Skye Bridge; Five Sisters of Kintail; Glen Shiel; Plockton

36km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Portree

Main Skye base — Cuillin, Trotternish, Storr

7km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Isle of Raasay Distillery

Raasay — new island distillery with rooms; Dun Caan walks from the door

15km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Ben Dearg — common questions

Is Ben Dearg a hard climb?: Ben Dearg is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: Once off the Storr tourist trail the path fades to grass and peat with occasional outcrops.
What is Ben Dearg's prominence?: 221m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Ben Dearg 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 Ben Dearg?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Ben Dearg. 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 Ben Dearg 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 Ben Dearg?: Poor. Remote Skye; coverage here is marginal.
Is Ben Dearg safe in winter?: A combination of sea-level base and high east-facing crags gives this section of Trotternish unusual rime ice formations. Cornice build-up after easterly storms is significant and well documented.

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