Munro · Skye & The Small Isles
Sgurr a' Mhadaidh
Sgurr a' Mhadaidh (918m) — "peak of the fox" — is the four-topped Black Cuillin Munro between Coire na Banachdich and Coire a' Ghreadaidh. The Munro is the south-eastern of the four tops; reaching it via the standard route involves sustained Grade 3 scrambling on gabbro. One of the harder Cuillin Munros to gain without rope work.
Quick facts
- Height
- 918m/ 3012ft
- Prominence
- 73 m
- Distance
- 10 km
- Ascent
- 1450 m
- Time
- 6–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NG446235
- Parking
- NG410205
- Nearest
- Fort William
- 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
Corrie approach 25% · Rocky hillside 25% · Technical ridge scramble 50%
From the Glen Brittle Youth Hostel take the path east into Coire a' Ghreadaidh, then climb scree and slabs to the An Dorus notch on the main ridge. From An Dorus turn north and pick a Grade 3 line up the rocky south face onto the summit top. Sgurr a' Ghreadaidh is the natural partner across An Dorus. Around 10km return with 1450m of ascent for the An Dorus pair.
Terrain
The Coire a' Ghreadaidh approach path is rough boggy moor for 2km, then loose scree to the An Dorus notch. The climb to the summit is sustained scrambling on rough gabbro with some exposure on the upper slabs. The summit is a small platform — care needed in mist, magnetic anomaly affects compass.
In winter
A genuine winter mountaineering route at Grade II/III with rope work essential. Cuillin gabbro plates with rime ice and verglas in winter. SAIS Skye publishes seasonal forecasts. Glenbrittle camp site is reachable in normal conditions; storms can isolate it. Few parties attempt Sgurr a' Mhadaidh in winter without alpine experience.
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow4h 45m
- Edinburgh5h 30m
OS maps: OS Landranger 32
Mobile signal: No signal in the Cuillin above 500m. Glenbrittle or Sligachan has 4G. Download mapping before starting out.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:05
- Sunset
- 21:58
- Civil dawn
- 04:08
- Civil dusk
- 22:54
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Sgurr a' Mhadaidh.
Around Sgurr a' Mhadaidh on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Kyle of Lochalsh station
Skye Bridge; Five Sisters of Kintail; Glen Shiel; Plockton
31km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Portree
Main Skye base — Cuillin, Trotternish, Storr
20km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Talisker
Carbost on Skye — Cuillin foothills distillery; peppery, maritime, big-bodied
11km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Sgurr a' Mhadaidh — common questions
- What difficulty is Sgurr a' Mhadaidh?
- On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Sgurr a' Mhadaidh comes in at 5/5 — very challenging. Expect roughly 10km and 1450m of ascent on the usual route — 6-8 hours for most parties. Underfoot: The Coire a' Ghreadaidh approach path is rough boggy moor for 2km, then loose scree to the An Dorus notch.
- What is Sgurr a' Mhadaidh's prominence?
- 73m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Sgurr a' Mhadaidh to the next higher ground.
- Where do I park for Sgurr a' Mhadaidh?
- Most walkers start from NG410205 near Fort William. Verify the grid reference on an OS map before you set off — space is tight on busy summer weekends.
- When is the best time to climb Sgurr a' Mhadaidh?
- May, June, July, August, September give the most reliable conditions on Sgurr a' Mhadaidh. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
- Is Sgurr a' Mhadaidh dog-friendly?
- 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 Sgurr a' Mhadaidh?
- No signal in the Cuillin above 500m. Glenbrittle or Sligachan has 4G. Download mapping before starting out.
- Is Sgurr a' Mhadaidh safe in winter?
- A genuine winter mountaineering route at Grade II/III with rope work essential. Cuillin gabbro plates with rime ice and verglas in winter. SAIS Skye publishes seasonal forecasts. Glenbrittle camp site is reachable in normal conditions; storms can isolate it. Few parties attempt Sgurr a' Mhadaidh in winter without alpine experience.
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