Munro · Cairngorms
Beinn a' Ghlo - Carn Liath
Beinn a' Ghlo - Carn Liath (975m) is grey, a prominent mountain in the Cairngorms massif, Britain's highest and most arctic mountain landscape. It shares ridgeline connections with neighbouring hills, making it a natural addition to a longer day combining two or three summits. The summit, marked by a large cairn, gives views of the vast Cairngorm plateau, Speyside and the Moray Firth. The nearest town is Perth in Perth and Kinross.
Gaelic: “mountain, peak, grey” · Pronunciation: bine lee-ah
Quick facts
- Height
- 975m/ 3201ft
- Distance
- 17 km
- Ascent
- 859 m
- Time
- 4.8 hrs
- Difficulty
- 4 / 5Strenuous
- Grid ref
- NN936698
- Parking
- NN93847145
- Nearest city
- Perth
Download GPX route file
Standard route · 17km
Standard route
The standard route is a longer walk with a gradual approach covering approximately 17km with 859m of total ascent — a full day on the hill. Lower slopes cross ancient Caledonian pine forest and heather moor. Higher up, the terrain changes to granite plateau and boulder fields with arctic-alpine vegetation. Well-maintained paths in popular corries give way to featureless plateau above — compass work is critical in cloud. The summit is marked by a large cairn.
Terrain
Above 700m the ground is fully exposed to weather from all directions. Well-maintained paths in popular corries give way to featureless plateau above — compass work is critical in cloud. The connecting ridges to adjacent hills are well-defined but involve noticeable re-ascent.
In winter
In winter, Beinn a' Ghlo - Carn Liath is a serious proposition. Arctic conditions are possible year-round above 900m. The plateau is one of the most dangerous places in Britain in winter — whiteout, cornices and wind chill below -20°C are regular occurrences. Short winter days mean an early start is essential, particularly on longer routes.
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow2h 20m
- Edinburgh2h 9m
OS maps: OS Landranger 43
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:43
- Sunset
- 20:43
- Civil dawn
- 04:59
- Civil dusk
- 21:27
NOAA Solar Calculator · 25 April 2026