What difficulty is Creag Dhubh Bheag?

On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Creag Dhubh Bheag comes in at 1/5 — easy. Ground conditions: Knobbly gneiss outcrops with deep heather between.

How much drop does Creag Dhubh Bheag have?

The drop is 203m: measured from the summit of Creag Dhubh Bheag 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 Creag Dhubh Bheag?

Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Creag Dhubh Bheag. 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 Creag Dhubh Bheag?

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

By Gary Innes

Photo: Richard Webb / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · North-West Highlands

Creag Dhubh Bheag

The "little black crag" sits at 472m in the NC47 grid square, a quiet neighbour of Creag Dhubh Mhor on the western side of the Cassley watershed. Twin Marilyns rarely come paired this neatly.

Gaelic: “crag, black, small” · Pronunciation: krayg goo vek

Quick facts

Height: 472m/ 1549ft
Prominence: 203 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NC 47485 30753
Nearest city: Inverness· 87km
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%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

Combine with Creag Dhubh Mhor as a long pathless round from the A837 at Rosehall, or tackle solo via the same valley with a final pull up the northern flank. Around 5 hours.

Terrain

Knobbly gneiss outcrops with deep heather between. The crag face on the north-east side should be skirted, not descended directly.

In winter

Frequent freeze-thaw glazes the dark slabs and makes the steeper northern aspect surprisingly hazardous. Stay on the southern slope when ice is suspected.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Creag Dhubh Bheag. 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

Glasgow6h 13m
Edinburgh7h 57m

OS maps: OS Landranger 16, OS Explorer 440N

Mobile signal: Poor. EE and O2 both fail; only brief Vodafone blips on the highest point occasionally.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

17h 23mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 05:31
Sunset: 21:16
Civil dawn: 04:42
Civil dusk: 22:05

NOAA Solar Calculator · 11 August 2026

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Around Creag Dhubh Bheag on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Lairg station

Central Sutherland; Ben Klibreck approach; gateway to Far North inland

28km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Durness

Cape Wrath base; Smoo Cave; Sandwood Bay walk-in

37km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

Creag Dhubh Bheag — common questions

What difficulty is Creag Dhubh Bheag?: On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Creag Dhubh Bheag comes in at 1/5 — easy. Ground conditions: Knobbly gneiss outcrops with deep heather between.
How much drop does Creag Dhubh Bheag have?: The drop is 203m: measured from the summit of Creag Dhubh Bheag 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 Creag Dhubh Bheag?: Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Creag Dhubh Bheag. 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 Creag Dhubh Bheag?: 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 Creag Dhubh Bheag?: Poor. EE and O2 both fail; only brief Vodafone blips on the highest point occasionally.
Is Creag Dhubh Bheag safe in winter?: Frequent freeze-thaw glazes the dark slabs and makes the steeper northern aspect surprisingly hazardous. Stay on the southern slope when ice is suspected.

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