Sub-Marilyn · Fife & Perthshire
Meall Cala
Meall Cala is a 674m hill in the rough country west of Loch Lubnaig and south of Balquhidder, at NN 508 127. It forms a long heather ridge with lumpy outcrops along its top, well away from the busier Trossachs paths.
Quick facts
- Height
- 674m/ 2211ft
- Prominence
- 149 m
- Grid ref
- NN 50831 12767
- Nearest city
- Stirling· 35km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Sub-Marilyn: 149m of drop — misses the 150m Marilyn cut by 1m. 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).
No GPX track yet
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Standard route
heather moorland 65% · grass slopes 25% · rocky summit 10%
There is no path and we have not yet verified a route for this hill. Study the OS map before setting out: the summit sits in pathless ground south-west of Balquhidder and west of Loch Lubnaig, and any approach crosses rough heather and bog.
Terrain
Deep heather and bog myrtle on the lower flanks giving way to wind-clipped grass and broken schist around the summit. There is no continuous path — expect heavy going for the first 200m of ascent.
In winter
At 674m the top regularly sits in cloud and accumulates snow drifts in the lee of the east shoulder. Treat as a serious hill day in winter: full kit, ice axe and a clear plan if cloud descends, as the summit ridge has few landmarks.
Kit for this: the winter Munro kit list · which boots take crampons
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow1h 10m
- Edinburgh3h 16m
OS maps: OS Landranger 57, OS Explorer 046S, OS Explorer 365S
Mobile signal: Expect little. Patchy coverage in the hills west of Loch Lubnaig.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 07:16
- Sunset
- 16:47
- Civil dawn
- 06:37
- Civil dusk
- 17:26
NOAA Solar Calculator · 28 October 2026
Around Meall Cala on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Crianlarich station
Crianlarich Munros — Ben More, Stob Binnein, Ben Lui, Cruach Ardrain
17km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Callander
Trossachs gateway — Ben Ledi, Stuc a Chroin, Rob Roy Way
13km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Deanston
Doune — converted cotton mill; floral, honeyed Perthshire distillery
25km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Meall Cala — common questions
- Is Meall Cala a hard climb?
- Meall Cala is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: Deep heather and bog myrtle on the lower flanks giving way to wind-clipped grass and broken schist around the summit.
- What is Meall Cala's prominence?
- 149m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Meall Cala to the next higher ground. That leaves it 1m 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 Meall Cala?
- March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Meall Cala. 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 Meall Cala 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 Meall Cala?
- Expect little. Patchy coverage in the hills west of Loch Lubnaig.
- Is Meall Cala safe in winter?
- At 674m the top regularly sits in cloud and accumulates snow drifts in the lee of the east shoulder. Treat as a serious hill day in winter: full kit, ice axe and a clear plan if cloud descends, as the summit ridge has few landmarks.
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