How hard is The Slate?

We grade The Slate at 1/5, which puts it in easy territory. Underfoot: Forestry road on the lower slopes, then heather and tussock grass leading to broken slate outcrops at the summit.

What is The Slate's prominence?

160m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links The Slate 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 The Slate?

March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on The Slate. 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 The Slate 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: Rude Health / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Marilyn · Argyll & Bute

The Slate

The Slate is a distinctive 384m hill on the southern Kintyre peninsula, named for the dark slatey outcrops crowning the summit. The view stretches across the North Channel to Ireland on clear days.

Quick facts

Height: 384m/ 1260ft
Prominence: 160 m
Difficulty: 1 / 5Easy
Grid ref: NR 63386 16524
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 65% · grass slopes 25% · rocky summit 10%

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Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

A track from the road near Glenahervie climbs steadily before walkers leave it to push through heather onto the rocky top. Around three hours up and down.

Terrain

Forestry road on the lower slopes, then heather and tussock grass leading to broken slate outcrops at the summit. Sturdy boots help on the rocky finish.

In winter

Maritime climate keeps snow brief. Slate slabs become greasy when wet, demanding care.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers The Slate. 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 West Highlands ↗ 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

Glasgow4h 2m
Edinburgh7h 45m

OS maps: OS Landranger 68, OS Explorer 356S

Mobile signal: Poor. Dead zone. Download offline maps and inform a contact before setting out.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 07mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:53
Sunset: 19:45
Civil dawn: 06:15
Civil dusk: 20:22

NOAA Solar Calculator · 14 September 2026

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Around The Slate on the SCOT network

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

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Campbeltown

Kintyre Way finish; Mull of Kintyre; whisky town

10km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Springbank

Campbeltown — cult, family-owned, every step on site from floor malt to bottle

10km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

The Slate — common questions

How hard is The Slate?: We grade The Slate at 1/5, which puts it in easy territory. Underfoot: Forestry road on the lower slopes, then heather and tussock grass leading to broken slate outcrops at the summit.
What is The Slate's prominence?: 160m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links The Slate 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 The Slate?: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on The Slate. 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 The Slate 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 The Slate?: Poor. Dead zone. Download offline maps and inform a contact before setting out.
Is The Slate safe in winter?: Maritime climate keeps snow brief. Slate slabs become greasy when wet, demanding care.

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