Munro · Glen Coe & Lochaber
Glas Bheinn Mhor
Glas Bheinn Mhòr (997m) — "big grey-green hill" — is the central Munro of the upper Glen Etive cluster, sitting between Ben Starav to the west and Stob Coir' an Albannaich to the north-east. The hill has a distinctive shapely pointed summit visible from the head of Loch Etive and forms one of the key tops on the classic Glen Etive four-Munro round. Almost always combined with Ben Starav and often Stob Coir' an Albannaich on a long horseshoe.
Gaelic: “grey-green, big” · Pronunciation: glass bheinn vore
Quick facts
- Height
- 997.7m/ 3273ft
- Prominence
- 231 m
- Distance
- 17 km
- Ascent
- 878 m
- Time
- 5–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NN153429
- Parking
- NN137468
- Nearest city
- Fort William· 31km
- 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 road start 20% · Open hillside 45% · Summit ridge 35%
See Ben Starav for the standard pair route from the Etive footbridge at Coileitir. After Ben Starav, descend the east ridge to the deep bealach, then climb directly onto Glas Bheinn Mhòr — about a kilometre of sustained climbing on grass and broken rock. From the summit, push east to Stob Coir' an Albannaich for a longer round, or drop south-east into Coire Chaorach to return to Glen Etive. The Starav + Glas Bheinn Mhòr pair runs roughly 13km with 1300m of climb.
Terrain
The connecting ridge between Ben Starav and Glas Bheinn Mhòr is narrow turf and broken rock with one short rocky step. Glas Bheinn Mhòr's summit cone is a tight, pointed top with very little flat space. The drop south-east to Coire Chaorach for descent is steep grass — slippery in the wet. The north-east ridge towards Stob Coir' an Albannaich is broad and easy.
In winter
A serious Glen Etive winter day, often done alongside Ben Starav. The summit cone develops continuous cornicing depending on wind direction. East-facing slopes load with wind-blown snow under westerly weather. Glen Etive's narrow single-track road can drift closed and there is no mobile reception anywhere along the glen. Consult SAIS Glencoe for avalanche guidance.
This hill is in the Glen Coe SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow2h 54m
- Edinburgh3h 46m
OS maps: OS Landranger 50
Mobile signal: Nothing above 700m in Glen Etive. Save mapping before the journey. The entire glen is out of range.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:04
- Sunset
- 21:49
- Civil dawn
- 04:10
- Civil dusk
- 22:43
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Glas Bheinn Mhor.
Around Glas Bheinn Mhor on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Bridge of Orchy station
Black Mount; Beinn Dorain, Beinn an Dothaidh, Beinn Achaladair, Beinn a Chreachain
15km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Fort William
Ben Nevis base, West Highland Line, gateway to Lochaber
31km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
Glas Bheinn Mhor — common questions
- Is Glas Bheinn Mhor a hard climb?
- Glas Bheinn Mhor is rated 4/5 (challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 17km with 878m of ascent and takes most walkers 5-8 hours. Ground conditions: The connecting ridge between Ben Starav and Glas Bheinn Mhòr is narrow turf and broken rock with one short rocky step.
- How much drop does Glas Bheinn Mhor have?
- The drop is 231m: measured from the summit of Glas Bheinn Mhor down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
- Where's the parking for Glas Bheinn Mhor?
- Park at NN137468. 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 Glas Bheinn Mhor?
- Aim for May, June, July, August, September, October on Glas Bheinn Mhor. 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 Glas Bheinn Mhor?
- 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 Glas Bheinn Mhor?
- Nothing above 700m in Glen Etive. Save mapping before the journey. The entire glen is out of range.
- Is Glas Bheinn Mhor safe in winter?
- A serious Glen Etive winter day, often done alongside Ben Starav. The summit cone develops continuous cornicing depending on wind direction. East-facing slopes load with wind-blown snow under westerly weather. Glen Etive's narrow single-track road can drift closed and there is no mobile reception anywhere along the glen. Consult SAIS Glencoe for avalanche guidance.
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