Sub-Marilyn · North-West Highlands
Meallan Chuaich
Meallan Chuaich — the little hill of the quaich — rises to 698m at NH 115 698 on the western fringe of the Fisherfield Forest. The Gaelic likens its corrie to a shallow drinking bowl. It is a Corbett-height satellite that sees a fraction of the traffic of its bigger neighbours.
Quick facts
- Height
- 697.9m/ 2290ft
- Prominence
- 147 m
- Grid ref
- NH 11547 69790
- Nearest city
- Inverness· 60km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Sub-Marilyn: 147m of drop — misses the 150m Marilyn cut by 3m. 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 and bog 65% · grass slopes 25% · rocky summit 10%
Best taken from Poolewe or Inverewe via the Kernsary estate track, with a long walk-in before the climb proper begins. The summit pull is a steady 400m grass-and-rock pull. Expect a 6-7 hour outing with 15-18km on foot.
Terrain
Pink Torridonian sandstone slabs interleaved with peat shelves. The cup-shaped corrie holds a small lochan and patches of mossy bog; the summit ridge itself is firm pavement with old erratic boulders dotted across it.
In winter
At 698m this collects more snow than the Loch Maree hills proper, with cornices forming on the corrie rim through January. The cup gathers cloud — strong winds funnel through the bealach to the west and chill drops sharply on exposed days.
This hill is in the Torridon SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow5h 16m
- Edinburgh7h 47m
OS maps: OS Landranger 19, OS Explorer 435S
Mobile signal: Poor. Remote glen approach with zero signal; OS Landranger essential.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:11
- Sunset
- 21:43
- Civil dawn
- 04:17
- Civil dusk
- 22:37
NOAA Solar Calculator · 30 July 2026
Around Meallan Chuaich on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Meallan Chuaich — common questions
- What difficulty is Meallan Chuaich?
- On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Meallan Chuaich comes in at 2/5 — moderate. Ground conditions: Pink Torridonian sandstone slabs interleaved with peat shelves.
- How much drop does Meallan Chuaich have?
- The drop is 147m: measured from the summit of Meallan Chuaich down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain. That leaves it 3m short of the 150m drop a Marilyn needs — DoBIH classes it a sub-Marilyn, a near-miss rather than a full Marilyn.
- What's the best month to climb Meallan Chuaich?
- Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Meallan Chuaich. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.
- Can dogs go up Meallan Chuaich?
- Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.
- Will I get phone signal on Meallan Chuaich?
- Poor. Remote glen approach with zero signal; OS Landranger essential.
- Is Meallan Chuaich safe in winter?
- At 698m this collects more snow than the Loch Maree hills proper, with cornices forming on the corrie rim through January. The cup gathers cloud — strong winds funnel through the bealach to the west and chill drops sharply on exposed days.
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