Munro · Cairngorms
Creag Leacach
Creag Leacach (987m) — "slabby crag" — is the rockier, more distinctive south-western neighbour of Glas Maol on the Glenshee plateau group. Where the other Glenshee Munros are broad mossy summits, Creag Leacach has a true narrow rocky summit ridge with a granite-blocky cairn. Almost always paired with Glas Maol on a round from the Glenshee ski centre, and often combined with Càrn an Tuirc and Cairn of Claise for the full four-Munro Mounth round.
Quick facts
- Height
- 988.2m/ 3242ft
- Distance
- 17 km
- Ascent
- 870 m
- Time
- 5–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NO154745
- Parking
- NO139780
- Nearest city
- Dundee
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
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Standard route
Ski infrastructure / open hillside 35% · Open plateau 40% · Rocky ridge 25%
See Glas Maol for the standard approach from the A93 Glenshee ski-centre area. From the summit of Glas Maol, head south-west along the broad connecting ridge to a deep bealach, then climb the narrow rocky ridge to Creag Leacach. Return reverses the line. Around 12km with 750m of ascent for the Glas Maol + Creag Leacach pair. The full four-Munro Mounth round adds Càrn an Tuirc and Cairn of Claise for 18km / 1100m up.
Terrain
The connecting ridge from Glas Maol to Creag Leacach is broad mossy turf on the descent to the bealach, then turns to narrow rocky ground on the climb to Creag Leacach. The summit itself is a granite rib with a substantial cairn — the rockiest of the Glenshee Munros. The south-west ridge continuation drops to the watershed; the descent back to the ski-centre car park is via a steep rough heathery line.
In winter
A serious Glenshee winter Munro. The narrow rocky summit ridge develops cornicing on both sides depending on wind. The crest becomes a Grade I winter scramble in snow conditions. The Caenlochan corrie rim south of the summit holds significant avalanche risk after westerly storms. The A93 corridor stays reliably gritted. SAIS Southern Cairngorms applies.
This hill is in the Northern Cairngorms SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 37m
- Edinburgh2h 9m
OS maps: OS Landranger 43
Mobile signal: Good signal at the Glenshee ski centre. Above 900m on the westward ridge signal is absent. Download maps before the drive up the A93.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:24
- Sunset
- 22:01
- Civil dawn
- 03:20
- Civil dusk
- 23:05
NOAA Solar Calculator · 7 June 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Creag Leacach.
Around Creag Leacach on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Pitlochry station
Schiehallion, Ben Vrackie, Beinn a Ghlo, Edradour distillery
27km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Pitlochry
Perthshire base — Schiehallion, Beinn a Ghlo, Ben Vrackie
27km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Royal Lochnagar
Balmoral — Queen Victoria's favourite; eastern Cairngorms setting
20km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Creag Leacach — common questions
- How hard is Creag Leacach?
- Creag Leacach is rated 4/5 (challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 17km with 870m of ascent and takes most walkers 5-8 hours. Terrain: The connecting ridge from Glas Maol to Creag Leacach is broad mossy turf on the descent to the bealach, then turns to narrow rocky ground on the climb to Creag Leacach.
- Where do I park for Creag Leacach?
- Standard parking is at NO139780 near Dundee. 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 Creag Leacach?
- The standard good-weather months for Creag Leacach 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 Creag Leacach?
- 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 Creag Leacach?
- Good signal at the Glenshee ski centre. Above 900m on the westward ridge signal is absent. Download maps before the drive up the A93.
- Is Creag Leacach safe in winter?
- A serious Glenshee winter Munro. The narrow rocky summit ridge develops cornicing on both sides depending on wind. The crest becomes a Grade I winter scramble in snow conditions. The Caenlochan corrie rim south of the summit holds significant avalanche risk after westerly storms. The A93 corridor stays reliably gritted. SAIS Southern Cairngorms applies.
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