Marilyn · North-West Highlands
Breac-Bheinn
Breac-Bheinn — the speckled hill — is a 464m summit at NH 498 950 east of Bonar Bridge. The Gaelic refers to a mottled pattern of pale quartzite blocks scattered across darker schist — a glacial scattering visible from miles around when the light catches them.
Quick facts
- Height
- 464m/ 1522ft
- Prominence
- 159 m
- Grid ref
- NH 49811 95078
- Nearest city
- Inverness· 52km
- 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%
An easy outing from the minor road past Croick church, with a track running west to within a kilometre of the summit. The final climb is short heather and grass. About 3 hours round trip.
Terrain
Moine schist studded with quartzite erratics — the speckle of the name. The summit area is open grass with the pale blocks scattered like sheep across the dome; the lower slopes are heather and bog.
In winter
A low east-coast hill with limited snow cover. Drains quickly and dries early; useful as a winter half-day when the higher hills are out of condition. The quartzite blocks become reliable navigation marks in light snow.
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow5h 23m
- Edinburgh6h 10m
OS maps: OS Landranger 20, OS Explorer 440S, OS Explorer 441W
Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Sutherland or Argyll; limited coverage.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 06:45
- Sunset
- 19:43
- Civil dawn
- 06:05
- Civil dusk
- 20:22
NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026
Around Breac-Bheinn on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Ardgay station
Kyle of Sutherland; Croick; Far North Line
11km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Ullapool
Main NW Highlands hub; Hebrides ferry; Inverpolly access
37km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Balblair
Edderton — Easter Ross distillery with vintage-led range
23km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Breac-Bheinn — common questions
- How difficult is Breac-Bheinn?
- Breac-Bheinn carries a 1/5 (easy) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: Moine schist studded with quartzite erratics — the speckle of the name.
- What is Breac-Bheinn's prominence?
- 159m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Breac-Bheinn 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 Breac-Bheinn?
- March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Breac-Bheinn. 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 Breac-Bheinn 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 Breac-Bheinn?
- Poor. Remote Sutherland or Argyll; limited coverage.
- Is Breac-Bheinn safe in winter?
- A low east-coast hill with limited snow cover. Drains quickly and dries early; useful as a winter half-day when the higher hills are out of condition. The quartzite blocks become reliable navigation marks in light snow.
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