Munro · Cairngorms
Tom Buidhe
Tom Buidhe (957m) — "yellow knoll" — is the immediate southern neighbour of Tolmount on the broad Mounth plateau, the two forming a quiet pair always climbed together via Jock's Road from Glen Doll. The hill is the most featureless of the Mounth Munros — barely a defined summit at all, just a slight rise on the broad mossy plateau marked by a small cairn. Confident navigation in mist is the principal challenge.
Gaelic: “hillock, yellow” · Pronunciation: towm boo-yeh
Quick facts
- Height
- 957.8m/ 3142ft
- Prominence
- 73 m
- Distance
- 17 km
- Ascent
- 843 m
- Time
- 5–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NO213787
- Parking
- NO283762
- Nearest city
- Dundee· 52km
- 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 / Jock's Road 35% · Open moorland plateau 50% · Summit 15%
See Tolmount for the standard Jock's Road approach from Glen Doll. Tom Buidhe is reached from Tolmount by walking south-east across the broad mossy plateau — about 1km of nearly flat ground with a tiny cairn marking the high point. Most parties continue the round south to take in Mayar and Driesh (the Glen Doll pair) for a four-Munro day. Total round 22km with 870m of ascent for Tolmount + Tom Buidhe.
Terrain
The Tom Buidhe summit sits on a broad almost-flat plateau where the high point is barely distinguishable from the surrounding ground. The 1km traverse from Tolmount crosses mossy turf and gravel — easy walking but devoid of features. Confident map work essential in mist; the summit cairn is small and easy to walk past.
In winter
A serious Mounth plateau winter day. The summit area is among the most featureless in the Cairngorms — whiteout navigation is the principal challenge. The plateau drifts heavily under easterly weather. Glen Doll access is reliable; the Jock's Road path may be obscured under deep snow. SAIS Southern Cairngorms applies. Confident map-and-compass technique essential.
This hill is in the Northern Cairngorms SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow3h 45m
- Edinburgh2h 14m
OS maps: OS Landranger 44
Mobile signal: Zero signal above 800m on the Mounth plateau. Glen Clova has intermittent signal. Line maps up before leaving Kirriemuir.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:55
- Sunset
- 21:44
- Civil dawn
- 04:00
- Civil dusk
- 22:39
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Tom Buidhe.
Around Tom Buidhe 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
34km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Ballater
Eastern Cairngorms / Royal Deeside
23km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Royal Lochnagar
Balmoral — Queen Victoria's favourite; eastern Cairngorms setting
13km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Tom Buidhe — common questions
- What difficulty is Tom Buidhe?
- On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Tom Buidhe comes in at 4/5 — challenging. Expect roughly 17km and 843m of ascent on the usual route — 5-8 hours for most parties. Underfoot: The Tom Buidhe summit sits on a broad almost-flat plateau where the high point is barely distinguishable from the surrounding ground.
- What is Tom Buidhe's prominence?
- 73m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Tom Buidhe to the next higher ground.
- Where do I park for Tom Buidhe?
- Most walkers start from NO283762. 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 Tom Buidhe?
- May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Tom Buidhe. 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 Tom Buidhe 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 Tom Buidhe?
- Zero signal above 800m on the Mounth plateau. Glen Clova has intermittent signal. Line maps up before leaving Kirriemuir.
- Is Tom Buidhe safe in winter?
- A serious Mounth plateau winter day. The summit area is among the most featureless in the Cairngorms — whiteout navigation is the principal challenge. The plateau drifts heavily under easterly weather. Glen Doll access is reliable; the Jock's Road path may be obscured under deep snow. SAIS Southern Cairngorms applies. Confident map-and-compass technique essential.
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