How hard is Cruban Beag?

We grade Cruban Beag at 2/5, which puts it in moderate territory. Underfoot: Mixed grouse moor and bog at the lower levels, with stretches of bare gravel and tundra-like crowberry on top.

What is Cruban Beag's prominence?

216m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Cruban Beag 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 Cruban Beag?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Cruban Beag. 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 Cruban Beag 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: Eirian Evans / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Central Highlands

Cruban Beag

Cruban Beag — the small hump — is a 590m Marilyn in NN-square Badenoch, sitting on the moorland between Glen Truim and the upper River Spey south-west of Newtonmore. The summit gives wide views across to the Monadhliath and east into the Drumochter pass with the A9 threading along its base.

Gaelic: “small” · Pronunciation: cruban bek

Quick facts

Height: 590m/ 1936ft
Prominence: 216 m
Difficulty: 2 / 5Moderate
Grid ref: NN 66858 92448
Nearest city: Inverness· 53km
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 65% · bog and rushes 25% · grassy summit 10%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

The shortest line uses the lay-by on the A9 at the Truim viaduct, crossing the railway by the underpass and climbing the rough east shoulder onto the broad summit. An alternative route comes in from the Phones road on the west, slightly longer but easier underfoot.

Terrain

Mixed grouse moor and bog at the lower levels, with stretches of bare gravel and tundra-like crowberry on top. The Allt na Cuile must be crossed below the summit — straightforward in normal conditions.

In winter

A drier hill than its Lochaber neighbours but high enough to hold proper snow from December onward. Plateau-style navigation in cloud; spindrift in north winds turns the gentle top into a featureless white expanse.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Cruban Beag. 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 West 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

Glasgow3h 57m
Edinburgh4h 46m

OS maps: OS Landranger 35, OS Explorer 056, OS Explorer 402

Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Loch Rannoch/Corrour area; limited coverage.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 13mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:45
Sunset: 19:40
Civil dawn: 06:06
Civil dusk: 20:19

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026

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Around Cruban Beag on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Newtonmore

Creag Meagaidh and Monadhliath access, Wildcat trails

8km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Dalwhinnie

Dalwhinnie — Scotland's highest distillery on the Drumochter pass

8km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Cruban Beag — common questions

How hard is Cruban Beag?: We grade Cruban Beag at 2/5, which puts it in moderate territory. Underfoot: Mixed grouse moor and bog at the lower levels, with stretches of bare gravel and tundra-like crowberry on top.
What is Cruban Beag's prominence?: 216m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Cruban Beag 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 Cruban Beag?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Cruban Beag. 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 Cruban Beag 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 Cruban Beag?: Poor. Remote Loch Rannoch/Corrour area; limited coverage.
Is Cruban Beag safe in winter?: A drier hill than its Lochaber neighbours but high enough to hold proper snow from December onward. Plateau-style navigation in cloud; spindrift in north winds turns the gentle top into a featureless white expanse.

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