Marilyn · Glen Coe & Lochaber
Cruim Leacainn
Cruim Leacainn — the curved hillside — is a 231m Marilyn in NN-square Lochaber, set on the west side of the Great Glen between Gairlochy and Invergloy a little north of Spean Bridge. Despite its very modest height the summit gives a fine vantage over Loch Lochy and the Commando Memorial.
Quick facts
- Height
- 231.1m/ 758ft
- Grid ref
- NN 16670 80738
- Nearest city
- Fort William· 9km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
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Standard route
heather moorland 60% · grass slopes 30% · rocky summit 10%
Start from the B8005 north of Gairlochy, finding parking near the lochside cottages. A faint track climbs through bracken and birch onto open hillside, then turns south along the small crest to a rocky knoll above the loch.
Terrain
Birch, bracken and gorse on the lower slope, with patches of clearfelled forestry and short heather above. Wet patches lie between the bracken stands; the summit knoll itself is dry slabby ground.
In winter
A 231m hill beside an ice-free freshwater loch — snow is incidental. The real winter hazards are wet leaves on the steep approach turning to glass under hard frost, and short daylight in the wooded gulley.
This hill is in the Glen Coe SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 17m
- Edinburgh5h 17m
OS maps: OS Landranger 34, OS Landranger 41, OS Explorer 392, OS Explorer 399
Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Loch Laggan/Creag Meagaidh area; limited coverage.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:26
- Sunset
- 22:15
- Civil dawn
- 03:19
- Civil dusk
- 23:22
NOAA Solar Calculator · 16 June 2026
Around Cruim Leacainn on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Banavie station
Neptune's Staircase; alternate Fort William access; Great Glen Way
7km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Fort William
Ben Nevis base, West Highland Line, gateway to Lochaber
9km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Ben Nevis Distillery
Fort William — Lochaber distillery at the foot of the Ben; long-aged Japanese-owned classics
6km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Cruim Leacainn — common questions
- How hard is Cruim Leacainn?
- Cruim Leacainn is rated 1/5 (easy) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Terrain: Birch, bracken and gorse on the lower slope, with patches of clearfelled forestry and short heather above.
- When is the best time to climb Cruim Leacainn?
- The standard good-weather months for Cruim Leacainn 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 Cruim Leacainn?
- 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 Cruim Leacainn?
- Poor. Remote Loch Laggan/Creag Meagaidh area; limited coverage.
- Is Cruim Leacainn safe in winter?
- A 231m hill beside an ice-free freshwater loch — snow is incidental. The real winter hazards are wet leaves on the steep approach turning to glass under hard frost, and short daylight in the wooded gulley.
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