Perthshire
Beinn a'Ghlo (Càrn Liath, Bràigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain, Càrn nan Gabhar) — Parking
Loch Moraig Car Park · Grid ref NN 906 671 · Car £5, motorhome/minibus £8, motorbike £3 per day; annual permit £20 (Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland) — outdooraccesstrustforscotland.org.uk, verified 13 Jul 2026
Quick facts
- Grid reference
- NN 906 671
- Spaces
- ~60
- Cost
- Car £5, motorhome/minibus £8, motorbike £3 per day; annual permit £20 (Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland) — outdooraccesstrustforscotland.org.uk, verified 13 Jul 2026
- Surface
- gravel
- Drive from Glasgow
- 2h
- Drive from Edinburgh
- 1h 45m
From the car park
From Blair Atholl a narrow public road climbs to the car park near Loch Moraig at NN 906 671, at the foot of the Càrn Liath path. The track heads out across moorland towards the unmistakable steep cone of Càrn Liath, the first Munro; the rebuilt path then climbs its front directly. Beyond, the traverse to Bràigh Coire Chruinn-bhalgain and Càrn nan Gabhar is a long, rolling ridge walk over remote, whaleback tops.
The walk
The Beinn a'Ghlo three-Munro round from Loch Moraig is a big day — roughly 22–24km and 1,400m of ascent, typically 7–9 hours. It is not technical, but it is long, remote and committing, with pathless, featureless ground between the summits where navigation matters in cloud. Càrn nan Gabhar, the high point at 1,121m, sits at the far end, so there is no quick escape once you are committed. A superb, wild Perthshire horseshoe for fit hillwalkers.
Facilities
- Information board
Busy times
Beinn a'Ghlo is popular but the 60-space car park usually copes except on the finest summer weekends, when it can fill by mid-morning — the whole reason it was built was to end the roadside chaos that preceded it. Spring and autumn give firm ground and clear air with space to spare; midweek is reliably quiet. Deer stalking (roughly mid-August to mid-October) can affect access — check before you go.
Getting here without a car
Better than most remote Munros. Blair Atholl has a railway station on the Highland Main Line (Perth–Inverness), and Scottish Citylink coaches stop nearby. From the village it is a steep 3–4km walk or a short taxi up the minor road to the Loch Moraig car park — walkable to start a long day, or a taxi to save the legs. Check ScotRail and Citylink times, as services are sparse.
Winter access
The minor road to Loch Moraig is not gritted and ices or drifts readily; in snow you may not reach the car park at all. The three Munros become a serious winter round — long, exposed and easy to lose in poor visibility, with corniced edges on Càrn nan Gabhar. Full winter kit, navigation skills and an eye on the avalanche and mountain-weather forecasts are essential; the sheer length is the main hazard.
Overflow parking
None — and that is the point of the car park. Before it was built, cars lined the narrow road to Loch Moraig and blocked the farm; roadside parking is now actively discouraged. If the 60 spaces are full, park considerately well clear of gates and passing places, or come back another day.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:41
- Sunset
- 22:00
- Civil dawn
- 03:41
- Civil dusk
- 23:01
NOAA Solar Calculator · 13 July 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How much is parking for Beinn a'Ghlo?
- The Loch Moraig car park charges £5 for a car, £8 for a motorhome or minibus and £3 for a motorbike per day, run by the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland. An annual permit costs £20. The money funds mountain path maintenance — most visibly the repair of the eroded Càrn Liath path. There are no toilets and the car park is patrolled.
- Can I still park on the road at Loch Moraig?
- You are strongly discouraged from doing so. The car park was built specifically to stop the roadside parking that used to line the narrow road and block the farm. Use the 60-space car park; if it is full, park well clear of all gates and passing places, or return another time.
- How long is the Beinn a'Ghlo round?
- The full three-Munro horseshoe from Loch Moraig is around 22–24km with 1,400m of ascent — a committing 7–9 hour day. It is not technical but it is long, remote and easy to misnavigate in cloud once you are on the featureless middle tops. It suits fit, experienced hillwalkers.
- Is there a toilet at the Beinn a'Ghlo car park?
- No. There are no facilities at the Loch Moraig car park beyond the parking itself and an information board. The nearest toilets, shops and cafés are in Blair Atholl, at the foot of the hill road.
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