Munro · Central Highlands
Geal Charn
Geal Charn (926m) — "white hill" — is the highest Munro in the Monadhliath, a rolling expanse of peat and granite north-west of Newtonmore. The summit is a flat plateau marked by a substantial 2m drystone cairn that doubles as a wind shelter. The hill is usually walked alone from Glen Markie or paired with the four-summit Monadhliath round from Garva Bridge.
Gaelic: “white, cairn-topped hill” · Pronunciation: gyal charn
Quick facts
- Height
- 926.3m/ 3039ft
- Prominence
- 101 m
- Distance
- 16 km
- Ascent
- 815 m
- Time
- 5–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NN561987
- Parking
- NN522948
- Nearest city
- Inverness· 48km
- 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
A9 path 20% · Open plateau 55% · Summit 25%
The most popular start is the Spey Dam at Garva Bridge on the Corrieyairack road. Take the Glen Markie estate track north-west for around 6km, then climb west onto the broad south-east shoulder above Lochan a' Choire. The summit cairn sits on an enormous featureless plateau requiring careful bearings in cloud. Around 17km return with 700m of ascent — a long but technically straightforward day.
Terrain
Glen Markie estate landrover track is fast walking. The climb out of the glen is on rough heathery hillside without much path. The summit plateau is short turf and granite gravel, almost flat for a kilometre around the cairn — featureless and disorienting in mist.
In winter
A textbook navigation hill in winter — the broad summit collects deep wind-blown drifts and small cornices form along the north-eastern crags above Lochan a' Choire. SAIS does not formally cover the Monadhliath; use MWIS East Highlands and SAIS Creag Meagaidh as proxies. Spey Dam access road is gritted; phone reception fails before Garva Bridge.
This hill is in the Creag Meagaidh SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 50m
- Edinburgh3h 2m
OS maps: OS Landranger 35
Mobile signal: Reasonable signal at the A9 Drumochter car park. Coverage thins above 800m. Save maps ahead of leaving the A9.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:58
- Sunset
- 21:50
- Civil dawn
- 04:03
- Civil dusk
- 22:45
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
On a long-distance route
Geal Charn sits within 5km of these named long-distance walks — useful for trail-pack rest days or section extensions.
Around Geal Charn on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Dalwhinnie station
Highest mainline station; Drumochter Munros; Ben Alder approach
15km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Aviemore
Cairngorms base — Strathspey valley, ski centre, train
36km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Dalwhinnie
Dalwhinnie — Scotland's highest distillery on the Drumochter pass
15km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Geal Charn — common questions
- Is Geal Charn a hard climb?
- Geal Charn is rated 4/5 (challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 16km with 815m of ascent and takes most walkers 5-8 hours. Ground conditions: Glen Markie estate landrover track is fast walking.
- How much drop does Geal Charn have?
- The drop is 101m: measured from the summit of Geal Charn down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
- Where's the parking for Geal Charn?
- Park at NN522948. Double-check the grid reference on an OS map first; informal laybys here fill early in high season.
- What's the best month to climb Geal Charn?
- Aim for May, June, July, August, September, October on Geal Charn. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.
- Can dogs go up Geal Charn?
- Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.
- Will I get phone signal on Geal Charn?
- Reasonable signal at the A9 Drumochter car park. Coverage thins above 800m. Save maps ahead of leaving the A9.
- Is Geal Charn safe in winter?
- A textbook navigation hill in winter — the broad summit collects deep wind-blown drifts and small cornices form along the north-eastern crags above Lochan a' Choire. SAIS does not formally cover the Monadhliath; use MWIS East Highlands and SAIS Creag Meagaidh as proxies. Spey Dam access road is gritted; phone reception fails before Garva Bridge.
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