Marilyn · Skye & The Small Isles
Mullach Mor
Mullach Mor — the Big Summit — is a 304m hill in the north-east corner of the Small Isle of Rùm, rising above Kinloch. The view from the top spans Rùm's own Cuillin, the Skye ridge and the open Sea of the Hebrides, a reward wildly out of proportion to the modest height.
Gaelic: “summit, big” · Pronunciation: mull-ach more
Quick facts
- Height
- 304m/ 997ft
- Prominence
- 219 m
- Grid ref
- NG 38668 01502
- 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 55% · rocky slopes 30% · grass slopes 15%
From the ferry slip at Kinloch on Rùm, head north-west out of the village onto open ground and climb rough pasture and heather to the summit cairn. The going is pathless in places. Fit the walk around the ferry: on some sailing days the boat calls only briefly.
Terrain
Open hill pasture and heather above Kinloch, with patches of damp tussock between drier ridges. There are no continuous paths — navigation is line-of-sight in clear weather.
In winter
Snow seldom lies long on the north end of Rùm, but the island sits exposed to the Atlantic. Winter visits depend on the CalMac Small Isles ferry from Mallaig, which can be cancelled at short notice in gales.
Kit for this: the winter Munro kit list · which boots take crampons
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow6h 8m
- Edinburgh9h 32m
Ferry access
Mallaig → Rùm (Small Isles)
- Crossing time85 min
- Summer sailingsCheck the CalMac Small Isles summer timetable — sailing days vary
- Winter sailingsMon, Tue, Thu and Sat calls at Rùm (winter 2026/27 timetable)
- Last ferry backWinter 2026/27: on Tue and Thu the boat arrives 11:15 and leaves Rùm 14:25; Mon and Sat calls allow only 20 minutes ashore
CalMac requires bookings on the Small Isles route, made by 16:00 the previous working day, even for foot passengers. Day returns are not always possible — check the timetable before planning one. Bring what you need; supplies on Rùm are limited.
Book on CalMac ↗OS maps: OS Landranger 32, OS Landranger 39, OS Explorer 397
Mobile signal: Poor. Remote island location; limited coverage.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 07:26
- Sunset
- 16:52
- Civil dawn
- 06:46
- Civil dusk
- 17:32
NOAA Solar Calculator · 28 October 2026
Around Mullach Mor on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Mullach Mor — common questions
- Is Mullach Mor a hard climb?
- Mullach Mor is rated 1/5 (easy) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Underfoot: Open hill pasture and heather above Kinloch, with patches of damp tussock between drier ridges.
- What is Mullach Mor's prominence?
- 219m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Mullach Mor to the next higher ground. 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 Mor?
- March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Mullach Mor. 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 Mor 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 Mor?
- Poor. Remote island location; limited coverage.
- How do I get the ferry to Mullach Mor?
- Mallaig → Rùm (Small Isles). Check the CalMac Small Isles summer timetable — sailing days vary in summer; Mon, Tue, Thu and Sat calls at Rùm (winter 2026/27 timetable) in winter. CalMac requires bookings on the Small Isles route, made by 16:00 the previous working day, even for foot passengers. Day returns are not always possible — check the timetable before planning one. Bring what you need; supplies on Rùm are limited.
- Is Mullach Mor safe in winter?
- Snow seldom lies long on the north end of Rùm, but the island sits exposed to the Atlantic. Winter visits depend on the CalMac Small Isles ferry from Mallaig, which can be cancelled at short notice in gales.
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