Munro · Central Highlands
Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor
Glas Leathad Mòr (1046m) — "the big grey-green slope" — is the high point of Ben Wyvis, the great whaleback that dominates the skyline north of Dingwall and is visible across most of the Moray Firth. The summit ridge is over 3km of almost-flat plateau, carpeted with woolly fringe-moss that makes it one of the easiest summit walks in Scotland in summer and one of the most disorienting in winter. The hill is a National Nature Reserve, important for dotterel and arctic-alpine vegetation.
Gaelic: “mountain, grey-green, big” · Pronunciation: ben wyvis glass leathad more
Quick facts
- Height
- 1046m/ 3432ft
- Distance
- 18 km
- Ascent
- 920 m
- Time
- 6–10 hrs
- Grid ref
- NH462683
- Parking
- NH410671
- Nearest city
- Inverness
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
No GPX track yet
Walked this route? Share your track to help other walkers.
Standard route
Good stalkers path 55% · Open hillside 25% · Summit plateau 20%
Start from the An Cabhsair / Garbat car park on the A835 north of Garve. Take the well-built path east through forestry, then north onto the open hill and up the steep south-west ridge to An Cabar (the southern top). Continue north along the broad summit ridge for 2km to the Munro's main summit at Glas Leathad Mòr. Return the same way. Around 14km with 950m of ascent — a straightforward route on excellent paths throughout.
Terrain
The Garbat path through the forestry is well-engineered stone pitching. Above the trees the path continues onto open hillside with restored boardwalks across the wettest moor — protect the fragile NNR vegetation by staying on the path. The climb onto An Cabar is a steady grass and gravel slope. The summit ridge itself is broad mossy turf — beautiful underfoot in summer but features almost no landmarks to navigate by.
In winter
A surprisingly serious winter Munro despite its modest gradient. The summit plateau drifts deeply and the lack of features makes it a true whiteout-navigation challenge — many incidents have begun with a wrong bearing off the summit. Cornicing on the east edge above Coire na Feòla is consistent. The A835 corridor stays gritted; the Garbat car park is reliable. Phone signal weakens above 700m. SAIS Northern Highlands applies.
This hill is in the Creag Meagaidh SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow4h 54m
- Edinburgh4h 2m
OS maps: OS Landranger 20
Mobile signal: Good signal at the Garbet car park on the A835 north of Garve. Signal weakens above 700m.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:22
- Sunset
- 22:12
- Civil dawn
- 03:13
- Civil dusk
- 23:21
NOAA Solar Calculator · 7 June 2026
Around Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Dingwall station
Ben Wyvis approach; Easter Ross; junction for Kyle and Far North lines
13km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Inverness
Highland capital — gateway to Cairngorms, Affric, Far North
31km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Glen Ord
Muir of Ord — Black Isle distillery; the Singleton range's Highland anchor
19km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor — common questions
- How hard is Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor?
- Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor is rated 5/5 (very challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 18km with 920m of ascent and takes most walkers 6-10 hours. Terrain: The Garbat path through the forestry is well-engineered stone pitching.
- Where do I park for Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor?
- Standard parking is at NH410671 near Inverness. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.
- When is the best time to climb Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor?
- The standard good-weather months for Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor are May, June, July, August, September. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.
- Can I bring my dog up Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor?
- 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 Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor?
- Good signal at the Garbet car park on the A835 north of Garve. Signal weakens above 700m.
- Is Ben Wyvis - Glas Leathad Mor safe in winter?
- A surprisingly serious winter Munro despite its modest gradient. The summit plateau drifts deeply and the lack of features makes it a true whiteout-navigation challenge — many incidents have begun with a wrong bearing off the summit. Cornicing on the east edge above Coire na Feòla is consistent. The A835 corridor stays gritted; the Garbat car park is reliable. Phone signal weakens above 700m. SAIS Northern Highlands applies.
Get the OutdoorSCOT weekly
One email a week — new route, hill and bothy guides, seasonal conditions and the odd hard-won lesson. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.