Hills Under 1 hour from Edinburgh

Frequently asked questions

How many hills are within 2 hours of Edinburgh?

The exact count varies by hill type but within 2 hours of Edinburgh by car you can reach a large portion of the southern Highland Munros, all Donalds in the southern uplands, many Corbetts and Grahams in the Trossachs, Breadalbane and southern Highlands, and hundreds of Marilyns across the central belt and southern Scotland. Use the type filters above to see counts by hill classification.

Which Munro is closest to Edinburgh?

Ben More (1,174m) above Crianlarich and Ben Lomond (974m) at Rowardennan are typically the closest Munros to Edinburgh by drive time — both around 1h15–1h30. Ben Vorlich at Loch Earn (985m) is another option at around 1h20 via the M9 to Comrie. Ben Lomond is the most popular choice because it is also accessible by public transport.

What hills can I reach from Edinburgh by train?

The most useful train routes for hillwalking from Edinburgh: Waverley to Arrochar & Tarbet (1h45) for the Arrochar Alps and The Cobbler; to Stirling (50 min) for the Ochils and lower Trossachs; to Pitlochry (1h50) for Perthshire Munros including Schiehallion (separate bus required) and Ben Vrackie (directly accessible from Pitlochry). Ben Lomond is accessible via Glasgow (change at Queen Street) and then Balloch.

Are the Pentland Hills worth a full day walk from Edinburgh?

Yes — the Pentland Hills give a proper full-day ridge walk with Scald Law (579m) as the highest point. The classic circuit from Flotterstone takes 5–6 hours and covers several summits with excellent views over Edinburgh and the Forth. The hills are within 30 minutes by bus (Lothian Buses route 4 to Hillend) or 15 minutes by car. No navigation skills required on the main routes — ideal for building hillwalking fitness before attempting Munros.