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A' Chailleach under snow in low sun, seen across the snow-filled gully of the Allt na Beinne.
Loch Laggan and Creag Meagaidh

A' Chailleach

A Munro of 929 metres, number 251 of the 282.

Photograph by Masa Sakano (CC BY-SA 2.0)

On the hill todayI was up today
The hill

A' Chailleach is a Munro of 929 metres in the Monadhliath, the grey hills above Newtonmore.

The village's own page calls it the Old Woman.

By that page it was one of the first hills in the area used for downhill skiing, brought here by the Ormiston family, and ptarmigan may be seen on its higher parts.

Starts from
The road end at Dalchurn Bridge in Glen Banchor, 1½ miles up Glen Road from Newtonmore.
The route
A detailed description is in Newtonmore's Wildcat Trail brochure, from the Wildcat Centre on Main Street, or from the Post Office when the centre is closed.
Stalking
The estate in Glen Banchor is Pitmain and Glenbanchor Estate. The National Park Authority gives October for stags, and January and early February for hinds, as the two key stalking periods, and Mountaineering Scotland notes that since 2023 stags can be stalked at any time of year. Check before going.
Under snow
There is no avalanche forecast for this hill, and that does not mean there is no risk here under snow. The avalanche service's full winter forecasts for its six areas begin on 17 December 2026.
Summit
Grid reference NH 681 041, with a well-built cairn on top.
Parking
There is a small parking area at the road end at Dalchurn Bridge in Glen Banchor, 1½ miles up Glen Road from the village.
Train
Newtonmore station, on Station Road, has 10 parking spaces and step-free access to all platforms. National Rail shows its ticket office as unavailable.
Toilets
There are toilets in the middle of the village, by the Wildcat Centre and the village hall.
On the hill today
−2° to 4°Cloudy on the summit, 929 m. Feels like −5° in the wind.

North-west wind to 11 mph, gusting 23
Dry, or nearly
Light from 7.53am to 6.10pm, ten hours

Sun 18Clear−1° to 4° on top · 9 mph, gusts 16
Mon 19Drizzle−2° to 6° on top · 11 mph, gusts 18
Tue 20Drizzle3° to 6° on top · 11 mph, gusts 19

A weather model's forecast for the height of the summit, not a report from the hill. Read the mountain forecast the evening before: Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath forecast, Met Office North Grampian forecast, A'Chailleach (Monadh Liath Region), Scottish Avalanche Information Service, Deer stalking in the Cairngorms National Park.

October2026

MTWTFSS

Going another day?

Choose the day you mean to climb.Near or far: the light you will have, and what the summit is likely to be doing.

Photograph by Masa Sakano (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Before you go

Carry

  • A paper map and a compass, and the skill to use them
  • Waterproofs, warm layers, hat and gloves
  • Food and drink
  • A head torch, a whistle and a first aid kit
  • A survival bag
  • Boots with a good grip

Under snow and ice this is a different day, with short light and the risk of avalanche. It needs an ice axe, crampons, winter boots and the skill to use them.

If something goes wrong

  • Dial 999, ask for the police, then mountain rescue
  • Give a six-figure grid reference: the summit is NH 681 041
  • Say how many are hurt, how many are with you, and your number
  • Register to text 999 before the day: text the word register to 999

The summit is optional. Turning back is the right decision whenever the cloud, the wind or the light say so.

How to call for help in the hills · Safety and skills for the hills · ThinkWINTER

From our readers

Nobody has written from A' Chailleach yet. If you were up, yours would be the first.

Tell the next person

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From the magazine
Read more elsewhere

For the route itself, take the map and read these.

Sleep and eat at its foot

Next along: Carn Sgulain, Carn Dearg, Geal Charn, Meall Chuaich. Checked on 10 October 2026. The facts on this page are the Newtonmore Business Association's, the Cairngorms National Park Authority's, National Rail's, Scottish Land and Estates', Mountaineering Scotland's and Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team's; the forecasts are the Mountain Weather Information Service's, the Met Office's and the Scottish Avalanche Information Service's. Height and position from The Database of British and Irish Hills, v18.3, adapted, CC BY 4.0. This page is not a route description and does not replace a map.