Sub-Marilyn · Cairngorms
Hill of Strone
A serious 847m hill on the southern boundary of the Cairngorms, often climbed from Glen Clova as part of the round of Glen Doll. The flat-topped summit looks unremarkable from below but holds a panorama running from Lochnagar to the Ochils.
Quick facts
- Height
- 847.5m/ 2781ft
- Prominence
- 142 m
- Grid ref
- NO 28782 72911
- Nearest city
- Dundee· 44km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Sub-Marilyn: 142m of drop — misses the 150m Marilyn cut by 8m. We keep it on the list as a near-miss.
Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).
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Standard route
heather moorland 60% · grass slopes 30% · rocky summit 10%
The usual approach is from Glen Clova ranger base via the Capel Mounth path, leaving the right-of-way at around 700m for a final 150m of pathless heather ridge to the cairn. Allow 5 to 6 hours for a 14km circuit.
Terrain
Old drove path on the lower mountain, then peat hags and tussocky heather on the broad summit plateau. The pathless final pull crosses some genuinely awkward ground in poor light.
In winter
A full winter mountain. Cornices form on the eastern crags above Glen Clova and the broad top is a notorious whiteout trap — ice axe, crampons and bearing-to-bearing navigation are essentials from December through to April.
This hill is in the Northern Cairngorms SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow4h 46m
- Edinburgh2h 18m
OS maps: OS Landranger 44, OS Explorer 053S, OS Explorer 388S
Mobile signal: Variable. EE patchy up high; better toward Pitlochry.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:08
- Sunset
- 21:30
- Civil dawn
- 04:16
- Civil dusk
- 22:22
NOAA Solar Calculator · 30 July 2026
Around Hill of Strone on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Pitlochry station
Schiehallion, Ben Vrackie, Beinn a Ghlo, Edradour distillery
37km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Ballater
Eastern Cairngorms / Royal Deeside
24km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Royal Lochnagar
Balmoral — Queen Victoria's favourite; eastern Cairngorms setting
17km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Hill of Strone — common questions
- How hard is Hill of Strone?
- We grade Hill of Strone at 3/5, which puts it in moderately challenging territory. Underfoot: Old drove path on the lower mountain, then peat hags and tussocky heather on the broad summit plateau.
- What is Hill of Strone's prominence?
- 142m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Hill of Strone to the next higher ground. That leaves it 8m short of the 150m drop a Marilyn needs — DoBIH classes it a sub-Marilyn, a near-miss rather than a full Marilyn.
- When is the best time to climb Hill of Strone?
- April, May, June, September give the most reliable conditions on Hill of Strone. 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 Hill of Strone 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 Hill of Strone?
- Variable. EE patchy up high; better toward Pitlochry.
- Is Hill of Strone safe in winter?
- A full winter mountain. Cornices form on the eastern crags above Glen Clova and the broad top is a notorious whiteout trap — ice axe, crampons and bearing-to-bearing navigation are essentials from December through to April.
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