Marilyn · Cairngorms
Meikle Balloch Hill
Only 366m tall but with enough prominence to stand alone near Tomintoul in the eastern Highlands. This is the beauty of Marilyns — height is not everything when you have a genuine summit.
Quick facts
- Height
- 366m/ 1200ft
- Difficulty
- 1 / 5Easy
- Grid ref
- NJ 47110 49506
Download GPX route file
Standard route
Standard route
A short, accessible walk across the characteristic granite plateau terrain of the Cairngorms fringe to the 366m summit. The low altitude and gentle gradients make this achievable in 1-3 hours.
Terrain
Granite terrain characteristic of the Cairngorms fringe. Well-drained but exposed on the upper slopes. The heather can be thick off-path.
In winter
Cairngorms winter conditions can be severe even on lower hills. Wind chill is the main hazard. Carry full winter equipment from November to March.
This hill is in the Northern Cairngorms SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow6h 35m
- Edinburgh4h 10m
OS maps: OS Landranger 28, OS Landranger 29, OS Explorer 425S
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:19
- Sunset
- 20:58
- Civil dawn
- 04:32
- Civil dusk
- 21:45
NOAA Solar Calculator · 2 May 2026