Munro · Glen Coe & Lochaber
Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg
Meall Dearg (952m) — "red hill" — is the eastern Munro of the Aonach Eagach, the celebrated narrowest mainland ridge in Scotland. The hill sits at the eastern end of the famous pinnacles, between Am Bodach (the eastern start of the ridge) and Sgòrr nam Fiannaidh at the western end. Meall Dearg is reached only by committing to the full Aonach Eagach traverse — there is no realistic alternative ascent.
Gaelic: “high ridge, rounded hill, red” · Pronunciation: oeun-ach eagach myowl jerr-ak
Quick facts
- Height
- 952.3m/ 3124ft
- Prominence
- 120 m
- Distance
- 16 km
- Ascent
- 838 m
- Time
- 5–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NN161583
- Parking
- NN173566
- Nearest city
- Fort William· 17km
- 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
Ascent from A82 20% · Exposed rocky ridge / pinnacles 60% · Descent to A82 20%
See Sgòrr nam Fiannaidh for the standard Aonach Eagach traverse. Meall Dearg is the second Munro reached on the standard west-bound traverse, after climbing Am Bodach (Top) at the eastern end. From Am Bodach, the famous pinnacles section provides the technical highlight — sustained Grade 3 scrambling with continuous airy exposure — leading to Meall Dearg. Continue west to Sgòrr nam Fiannaidh and descend to Glencoe village. Around 10km with 1300m of ascent for the full ridge.
Terrain
Meall Dearg sits at the eastern end of the famous pinnacles section — a sequence of Grade 3 scrambling moves on andesitic rock with sustained airy exposure on both sides. The pinnacles cannot be reversed; once committed at Am Bodach the only forward direction is west. The Meall Dearg summit area is a small rocky platform with a cairn. Compass-and-rope work helps in winter conditions.
In winter
A major Scottish winter mountaineering objective. The Aonach Eagach pinnacles in winter become a sustained Grade III mountaineering route with continuous exposure. Once committed there is no escape. Cornicing on the north side of the ridge is consistent. The A82 stays gritted; SAIS Glencoe applies. Full alpine kit, rope and competent winter mountaineering technique essential.
This hill is in the Glen Coe SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow2h 11m
- Edinburgh3h 56m
OS maps: OS Landranger 41
Mobile signal: Reasonable signal along the A82 in Glencoe. No signal on the Aonach Eagach ridge. Emergency signal may work in places — do not rely on it.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:03
- Sunset
- 21:50
- Civil dawn
- 04:09
- Civil dusk
- 22:44
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg.
On a long-distance route
Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg sits within 5km of these named long-distance walks — useful for trail-pack rest days or section extensions.
Around Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Fort William station
Ben Nevis, Mamores, Aonachs, Knoydart ferry connection
16km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Fort William
Ben Nevis base, West Highland Line, gateway to Lochaber
17km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Ben Nevis Distillery
Fort William — Lochaber distillery at the foot of the Ben; long-aged Japanese-owned classics
18km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg — common questions
- What difficulty is Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg?
- On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg comes in at 4/5 — challenging. Expect roughly 16km and 838m of ascent on the usual route — 5-8 hours for most parties. Underfoot: Meall Dearg sits at the eastern end of the famous pinnacles section — a sequence of Grade 3 scrambling moves on andesitic rock with sustained airy exposure on both sides.
- What is Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg's prominence?
- 120m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg to the next higher ground.
- Where do I park for Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg?
- Most walkers start from NN173566. Verify the grid reference on an OS map before you set off — space is tight on busy summer weekends.
- When is the best time to climb Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg?
- May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg. 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 Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg 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 Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg?
- Reasonable signal along the A82 in Glencoe. No signal on the Aonach Eagach ridge. Emergency signal may work in places — do not rely on it.
- Is Aonach Eagach - Meall Dearg safe in winter?
- A major Scottish winter mountaineering objective. The Aonach Eagach pinnacles in winter become a sustained Grade III mountaineering route with continuous exposure. Once committed there is no escape. Cornicing on the north side of the ridge is consistent. The A82 stays gritted; SAIS Glencoe applies. Full alpine kit, rope and competent winter mountaineering technique essential.
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