How hard is Meall Mor?

We grade Meall Mor at 2/5, which puts it in moderate territory. Terrain: Long heather underfoot with regular peat hags requiring small detours.

How prominent is Meall Mor?

Meall Mor has 173m of topographic prominence — the height of its summit above the highest col connecting it to higher ground. Marilyns are defined by that measure: at least 150m of drop on all sides.

When should I climb Meall Mor?

The standard good-weather months for Meall Mor 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 Meall Mor?

On a lead only — the route crosses ground with livestock or nesting-bird interest.

By Gary Innes

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

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Marilyn · Cairngorms

Meall Mor

A rolling 551m moorland summit between Glen Shee and Glen Isla, with the unusual feature of a half-buried medieval shieling site on its southern flank. Despite its proximity to the busy A93, walkers rarely venture this side of the road.

Gaelic: “rounded hill, big” · Pronunciation: myowl more

Quick facts

Height: 551m/ 1808ft
Prominence: 173 m
Difficulty: 2 / 5Moderate
Grid ref: NO 17332 60238
Nearest city: Perth· 37km
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 60% · grass slopes 30% · rocky summit 10%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

Approach from the Cray junction on the A93, taking the track east before climbing pathless heather to the broad whaleback summit. About 8km return in 3 hours; route-finding is the main challenge.

Terrain

Long heather underfoot with regular peat hags requiring small detours. The summit dome is grassy and easier going. No fences or walls to guide you in mist.

In winter

Cornices can build on the eastern lip after south-westerly snowstorms — keep well back from the rim. The featureless plateau demands bearing-and-distance navigation in cloud.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Meall Mor. 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 Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath ↗ 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 13m
Edinburgh2h 3m

OS maps: OS Landranger 43, OS Explorer 052S, OS Explorer 381, OS Explorer 387S

Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Angus Glens/south Cairngorms area; limited coverage.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

16h 53mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 05:37
Sunset: 21:00
Civil dawn: 04:52
Civil dusk: 21:45

NOAA Solar Calculator · 13 August 2026

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Around Meall Mor on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Dunkeld & Birnam station

Birnam Hill, Hermitage walks, southern Perthshire gateway

23km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Dunkeld

Southern Cairngorms gateway — Hermitage, Loch of the Lowes

23km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Edradour

Pitlochry — until recently Scotland's smallest distillery; charming Perthshire setting

21km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Meall Mor — common questions

How hard is Meall Mor?: We grade Meall Mor at 2/5, which puts it in moderate territory. Terrain: Long heather underfoot with regular peat hags requiring small detours.
How prominent is Meall Mor?: Meall Mor has 173m of topographic prominence — the height of its summit above the highest col connecting it to higher ground. Marilyns are defined by that measure: at least 150m of drop on all sides.
When should I climb Meall Mor?: The standard good-weather months for Meall Mor 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 Meall Mor?: On a lead only — the route crosses ground with livestock or nesting-bird interest.
What's mobile reception like on Meall Mor?: Poor. Remote Angus Glens/south Cairngorms area; limited coverage.
Is Meall Mor safe in winter?: Cornices can build on the eastern lip after south-westerly snowstorms — keep well back from the rim. The featureless plateau demands bearing-and-distance navigation in cloud.

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