How hard is Carn Garbh?

Carn Garbh is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Terrain: Block-strewn sandstone tops the hill, awkward to walk on and worse in rain.

When is the best time to climb Carn Garbh?

The standard good-weather months for Carn Garbh 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 Carn Garbh?

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

How hard is Carn Garbh?

Carn Garbh is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Terrain: Block-strewn sandstone tops the hill, awkward to walk on and worse in rain.

When is the best time to climb Carn Garbh?

The standard good-weather months for Carn Garbh 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 Carn Garbh?

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

By Gary Innes

Photo: Mick Crawley / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · North-West Highlands

Carn Garbh

Carn Garbh — "rough cairn" — sits at 545m in the NC89 grid square between Strath Brora and Strath Fleet. A genuinely rough hill that earns its name from a chaos of broken sandstone on the upper slopes.

Gaelic: “cairn-topped hill, rough” · Pronunciation: karn garrav

Quick facts

Height: 545m/ 1788ft
Difficulty: 2 / 5Moderate
Grid ref: NC 89277 13777
Nearest city: Inverness· 72km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

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Standard route

heather and bog 55% · rocky slopes 30% · grass slopes 15%

GPX needed

Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

Drive up Strath Brora to Balnacoil, then follow estate tracks south before climbing the northwest spur. Allow 5 hours for the round trip.

Terrain

Block-strewn sandstone tops the hill, awkward to walk on and worse in rain. Lower slopes are gentle heather with the odd bog patch.

In winter

Iced blocks on the summit make the top genuinely awkward in winter. The sandstone holds rime well; respect the wind chill on this exposed top.

This hill is in the Torridon SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow6h 52m
Edinburgh6h 50m

OS maps: OS Landranger 17, OS Explorer 444W

Mobile signal: Poor. Dead zone—no networks reach this remote Sutherland plateau.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

20h 42mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 04:11
Sunset: 22:21
Civil dawn: 02:55
Civil dusk: 23:37

NOAA Solar Calculator · 16 June 2026

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Around Carn Garbh on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Helmsdale station

Far North coast; Strath of Kildonan; Flow Country gateway

13km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Clynelish

Brora — waxy, coastal-Highland classic on the Far North line

10km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Carn Garbh — common questions

How hard is Carn Garbh?: Carn Garbh is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Terrain: Block-strewn sandstone tops the hill, awkward to walk on and worse in rain.
When is the best time to climb Carn Garbh?: The standard good-weather months for Carn Garbh 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 Carn Garbh?: 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 Carn Garbh?: Poor. Dead zone—no networks reach this remote Sutherland plateau.
Is Carn Garbh safe in winter?: Iced blocks on the summit make the top genuinely awkward in winter. The sandstone holds rime well; respect the wind chill on this exposed top.

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