Marilyn · Glen Coe & Lochaber
Ben Laga
Ben Laga rises from the north shore of Loch Sunart at the eastern end of Ardnamurchan, a 512m steep-sided hill of dark basalt cliffs and birch-fringed lower slopes. It dominates the village of Glenborrodale and gives a fine viewpoint across the loch to Morvern. Despite a clear forest road approach, the upper hill is rough and trackless.
Quick facts
- Height
- 512m/ 1680ft
- Prominence
- 356 m
- Grid ref
- NM 64558 62098
- Nearest city
- Oban· 38km
- 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 and bog 55% · igneous rock 30% · grass slopes 15%
Park near the old schoolhouse at Glenborrodale and follow the forest track north through birchwood, breaking out at the burn to climb steep grass onto the south flank. The summit sits above broken crags; take a careful line to avoid awkward drops. Around four hours return.
Terrain
Birch and oak scrub on the lower flank, then deep tussock and boggy hollows before short turf on the upper ridge. Crags on the north and east sides — easy to stray onto in poor visibility.
In winter
Snow is intermittent at this altitude on a westerly hill, but the steep south face holds frost late into the morning. The bracken stalks freeze into ankle-snares, and the crags above the route make poor visibility a real concern.
This hill is in the Glen Coe SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow5h 39m
- Edinburgh7h 8m
OS maps: OS Landranger 40, OS Explorer 383W, OS Explorer 390E
Mobile signal: Poor. Ardnamurchan peninsula; EE absent. Salen is the nearest coverage.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:20
- Sunset
- 21:40
- Civil dawn
- 04:28
- Civil dusk
- 22:31
NOAA Solar Calculator · 30 July 2026
Around Ben Laga on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Morar station
Silver Sands, Knoydart approach, Loch Morar
30km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Tobermory
Mull base — Ben More, Treshnish, ferry to Iona
15km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Tobermory
Mull — colourful harbour-front distillery making both unpeated and peated (Ledaig) whisky
15km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Ben Laga — common questions
- Is Ben Laga a hard climb?
- Ben Laga is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: Birch and oak scrub on the lower flank, then deep tussock and boggy hollows before short turf on the upper ridge.
- What is Ben Laga's prominence?
- 356m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Ben Laga 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 Laga?
- March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Ben Laga. 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 Laga 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 Laga?
- Poor. Ardnamurchan peninsula; EE absent. Salen is the nearest coverage.
- Is Ben Laga safe in winter?
- Snow is intermittent at this altitude on a westerly hill, but the steep south face holds frost late into the morning. The bracken stalks freeze into ankle-snares, and the crags above the route make poor visibility a real concern.
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