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The rough, rocky peak of Garbh Chìoch Mhòr with cloud curling round it.
Knoydart and Loch Quoich

Garbh Chioch Mhor

A Munro of 1,013 metres, number 116 of the 282.

Photograph by Ted and Jen (CC BY 2.0)

On the hill todayI was up today
The hill

Garbh Chioch Mhor is one of three Munros that Glen Dessary Estate draws on the map of its deer forest, a map that also carries Loch Arkaig, Loch Nevis and the rivers Dessary and Pean.

It stands between the other two: Sgurr na Ciche is under a kilometre to the north-west and Sgurr nan Coireachan about two and a half kilometres to the east.

The estate describes its 15,000 acres of mountains, rivers and lochs as "a wilderness location", and prints the hill's name as Garbh Chíoch Mhór. The Mountain Bothies Association looks after two bothies in this country, A'Chuil and Sourlies.

Starts from
The end of the public road along Loch Arkaig, where Glen Dessary Estate's sheet marks a gate and public parking.
The ground
Glen Dessary Estate's map of the Glen Dessary deer forest names Sgurr na Ciche, Garbh Chioch Mhor and Sgurr nan Coireachan. The estate belongs to the Knoydart Deer Management Group.
Stalking
Glen Dessary Estate's sheet for hill walkers dates from June 2009, so check with the estate before relying on it. Stalking runs from 1 July to 16 February, and the estate counts 20 August to 20 October, Sundays excepted, as the critical weeks, the most sensitive to disturbance. On stalking days keep to the low-lying and ridge routes marked in black on its map, and stay out of the corries and hill faces marked in red. The number for walkers is 01349 884111.
Under snow
There is no avalanche forecast for this hill, but that does not mean there is no risk under snow. The Scottish Avalanche Information Service's full winter forecasts for its six areas begin on 17 December 2026.
Summit
Grid reference NM 909 961.
Parking
The estate's 2009 sheet marks public parking by the gate where the public road, the B8005, ends at the head of Loch Arkaig.
The road
The B8005 runs along Loch Arkaig. Forestry and Land Scotland, whose forest lies on the loch, calls it a rough and narrow road, and it is one of the Highland Council's secondary gritting routes.
Toilets and food
The nearest public facilities, shops and cafés are in Spean Bridge, Forestry and Land Scotland says. Spean Bridge has a railway station.
On the hill today

A weather model's forecast for the height of the summit, not a report from the hill. Read the mountain forecast the evening before: Northwest Highlands forecast, West Highlands forecast, Met Office Northwest Highlands mountain forecast, Garbh Chioch Mhor, Scottish Avalanche Information Service.

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.

The snow-capped tops of Garbh Chìoch Mhòr and Garbh Chìoch Bheag at the head of the glen.

Photographs by Ted and Jen (CC BY 2.0) and LHOON (CC BY-SA 2.0)

If the removable sign on the gate is displayed, stalking parties are actively working in Glen Dessary and Glen Pean areas on that day.Glen Dessary Estate, in its sheet for hill walkers, dated June 2009
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 NM 909 961
  • 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 Garbh Chioch Mhor 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.

Next along: Sgurr na Ciche, Sgurr nan Coireachan, Sgurr Mor, Luinne Bheinn. Checked on 10 October 2026. The facts on this page are Glen Dessary Estate's, Forestry and Land Scotland's, the Highland Council's, the Mountain Bothies Association's and National Rail'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.