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A steep grassy ridge high on Carn Dearg, with grey crags falling away on one side to a wide glen far below.
Loch Laggan and Creag Meagaidh

Carn Dearg

A Munro of 946 metres, number 222 of the 282.

On the hill todayI was up today
The hill

Carn Dearg stands in the Monadhliath, above Newtonmore and Glen Banchor.

It is one of three Munros of the name, and it is higher than its neighbours A' Chailleach and Carn Sgulain, which lie about five and six kilometres away to the north-east.

Newtonmore sits at the mouth of Glen Banchor, surrounded by high mountains, and the estate in the glen is Pitmain and Glenbanchor.

Starts from
The nearest start an owner describes is the road end at Dalchurn Bridge in Glen Banchor, 1½ miles up Glen Road from Newtonmore.
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 635 023
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
0° to 4°Rain on the summit, 946 m. Feels like −4° in the wind.

West wind to 16 mph, gusting 29
Rain, about 3 mm
Light from 7.51am to 6.13pm, ten hours

Sat 17Some cloud−2° to 4° on top · 9 mph, gusts 20
Sun 18Clear−1° to 4° on top · 10 mph, gusts 18
Mon 19Drizzle−4° to 6° on top · 9 mph, gusts 15

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, Carn Dearg (945m), 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.

Photographs by Tim Nicholson, John Irvine and Perfect pics, via Google

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 635 023
  • 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 Carn Dearg yet. If you were up, yours would be the first.

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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: A' Chailleach, Carn Sgulain, Geal Charn, Meall Chuaich. Checked on 10 October 2026. The facts on this page are 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.