What difficulty is Mullach Buidhe?

On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Mullach Buidhe comes in at 1/5 — easy. Underfoot: Mix of waymarked path, short heather and gneiss slabs.

What is Mullach Buidhe's prominence?

Mullach Buidhe's prominence is its full height — 162m — because it is the highest point of its landmass, with no higher ground connected to it. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.

When is the best time to climb Mullach Buidhe?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Mullach Buidhe. 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 Mullach Buidhe dog-friendly?

Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.

By Gary

Photo: Anne Burgess / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Outer Hebrides

Mullach Buidhe

Mullach Buidhe, the yellow summit, is the high point of Scalpay, the small island off east Harris linked by bridge from Tarbert. At 161m it is one of the lowest Marilyns yet rewards visitors with intimate views of the Minch and Eilean Glas lighthouse.

Gaelic: “summit, yellow” · Pronunciation: mull-ach boo-yeh

Quick facts

Height: 161.8m/ 531ft
Prominence: 162 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NG 41485 98645
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

Lewisian gneiss 45% · blanket bog 35% · rocky summit 20%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

Cross the Scalpay bridge and park near the school, then follow the waymarked lighthouse path before peeling off north to the summit. A pleasant two-hour outing combining moorland, paths and rocky knolls.

Terrain

Mix of waymarked path, short heather and gneiss slabs. The summit dome has bare yellow-lichened rock that gives the hill its name.

In winter

Mild but exposed to Minch storms; snow is rare. The lighthouse path is usable year round but the boggy summit ground turns greasy after rain.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Mullach Buidhe. 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. No MWIS mountain forecast covers this area either. In winter, work from a local weather forecast, 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

Glasgow8h 36m
Edinburgh10h 39m

OS maps: OS Landranger 14, OS Explorer 457

Mobile signal: Poor. No reliable coverage; nearest EE signal near Tarbert.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 17mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:53
Sunset: 19:50
Civil dawn: 06:13
Civil dusk: 20:30

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026

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Around Mullach Buidhe on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Tarbert (Harris)

Harris base — Clisham, Luskentyre, Hebridean Way

26km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Isle of Harris

Tarbert (Harris) — new island distillery; also known for the Harris Gin

26km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Mullach Buidhe — common questions

What difficulty is Mullach Buidhe?: On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Mullach Buidhe comes in at 1/5 — easy. Underfoot: Mix of waymarked path, short heather and gneiss slabs.
What is Mullach Buidhe's prominence?: Mullach Buidhe's prominence is its full height — 162m — because it is the highest point of its landmass, with no higher ground connected to it. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.
When is the best time to climb Mullach Buidhe?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Mullach Buidhe. 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 Mullach Buidhe 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 Mullach Buidhe?: Poor. No reliable coverage; nearest EE signal near Tarbert.
Is Mullach Buidhe safe in winter?: Mild but exposed to Minch storms; snow is rare. The lighthouse path is usable year round but the boggy summit ground turns greasy after rain.

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