Munro · Central Highlands
Carn Sgulain
Càrn Sgulain (920m) — "hill of the basket" — is a low rolling Monadhliath summit reached over endless peat hags above Glen Banchor near Newtonmore. A modest cairn rises from a patch of bare gravel set amid the characteristic Monadhliath bog. Universally combined with A' Chailleach as a two-Munro day from Glen Banchor.
Quick facts
- Height
- 920.3m/ 3019ft
- Prominence
- 72 m
- Distance
- 16 km
- Ascent
- 810 m
- Time
- 5–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NH683058
- Parking
- NN694999
- Nearest city
- Inverness· 39km
- 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
Glen path / track 40% · Open moorland 45% · Summit 15%
Take the rough estate road west of Newtonmore for 4km along the River Calder, then climb north up the broad ridge over hags and tussock onto the Càrn Sgulain plateau. From the summit head west across the wide bealach to A' Chailleach. Most parties return via A' Chailleach's south ridge directly to Glen Banchor. Around 14km with 700m of ascent for the pair.
Terrain
The Glen Banchor approach track is firm but the climb out of the glen is dreadful peat-hag country — wet, deep and slow. Above 800m the ground levels onto cropped bog turf and gravel. The summit cairn is small and easily missed in mist on featureless ground.
In winter
A surprisingly tough winter outing because of the deep peat hags freezing into rough icy cauldrons. Snow infill can make travel easier or much worse depending on conditions. SAIS does not formally cover the Monadhliath; SAIS Creag Meagaidh is the closest analogue. Glen Banchor minor road can drift in storms but Newtonmore is on the gritted A9 corridor.
This hill is in the Creag Meagaidh SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 59m
- Edinburgh3h 3m
OS maps: OS Landranger 35
Mobile signal: Barely anything above 700m on the Monadhliath plateau. Newtonmore has 4G. Download maps before leaving the A9 corridor.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:57
- Sunset
- 21:49
- Civil dawn
- 04:01
- Civil dusk
- 22:45
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Carn Sgulain.
Around Carn Sgulain on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Kingussie station
Cairngorms south side; Glen Feshie; Insh Marshes; Monadhliath access
9km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Aviemore
Cairngorms base — Strathspey valley, ski centre, train
22km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie — Scotland's highest distillery on the Drumochter pass
21km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Carn Sgulain — common questions
- How difficult is Carn Sgulain?
- Carn Sgulain carries a 4/5 (challenging) grade on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Count on about 16km, 810m of ascent and a 5-8 hour day on the standard route. Terrain: The Glen Banchor approach track is firm but the climb out of the glen is dreadful peat-hag country — wet, deep and slow.
- How prominent is Carn Sgulain?
- Carn Sgulain has 72m of topographic prominence — the height of its summit above the highest col connecting it to higher ground.
- Where should I park to climb Carn Sgulain?
- Standard parking is at NN694999. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.
- When should I climb Carn Sgulain?
- The standard good-weather months for Carn Sgulain are May, June, July, August, September, October. 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 Carn Sgulain?
- On a lead only — the route crosses ground with livestock or nesting-bird interest.
- What's mobile reception like on Carn Sgulain?
- Barely anything above 700m on the Monadhliath plateau. Newtonmore has 4G. Download maps before leaving the A9 corridor.
- Is Carn Sgulain safe in winter?
- A surprisingly tough winter outing because of the deep peat hags freezing into rough icy cauldrons. Snow infill can make travel easier or much worse depending on conditions. SAIS does not formally cover the Monadhliath; SAIS Creag Meagaidh is the closest analogue. Glen Banchor minor road can drift in storms but Newtonmore is on the gritted A9 corridor.
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