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The steep, grassy bulk of Meall Buidhe in sunshine under heavy cloud, the rough hills of Knoydart beyond.
Knoydart and Loch Quoich

Meall Buidhe

A Munro of 946 metres, number 223 of the 282.

Photograph by Ted and Jen (CC BY 2.0)

On the hill todayI was up today
The hill

This is the Meall Buidhe of Knoydart, which the Knoydart Foundation names with Ladhar Bheinn and Luinne Bheinn as the three Munros of the peninsula.

A different Meall Buidhe stands above Glen Lyon.

There is no road to it. The Foundation counts it among the peaks around Inverie that golden and white-tailed eagles often look down on.

Getting to it
There is no road and no car park. Walk in from the road end at Kinloch Hourn by Barrisdale, or take the boat from Mallaig to Inverie and walk from there. The Knoydart Foundation says the routes in on foot are best suited to experienced walkers with the right equipment and preparation for the weather.
The walk in
The Knoydart Foundation gives the walk into Knoydart from Kinloch Hourn as about 16 km (10 miles), usually 5 to 7 hours. That is the walk into the peninsula, not to this hill.
Stalking
Watch for signs on the ground and follow reasonable advice from land managers. Mountaineering Scotland's stalking page says how to check before you go.
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 848 989.
Barrisdale
Barrisdale Estate keeps a bothy and a campsite, a natural base camp for the hills around. In 2026 each cost £5.00 a person a night, paid into an honesty box. The bothy sleeps 12, first come, first served, with no bookings. Boil or treat all water and carry out all your rubbish. There is no telephone or mobile coverage on the estate.
The boat
Western Isles Cruises sails between Mallaig and Inverie, and in 2026 the adult fare was £9. Sailings depend on the weather, so take the times from the operator. Mallaig has a railway station.
On the hill today
1° to 4°Drizzle on the summit, 946 m. Feels like −3° in the wind.

West wind to 13 mph, gusting 25
Rain, about 6 mm
Light from 7.56am to 6.18pm, ten hours

Sat 17Some cloud−2° to 5° on top · 6 mph, gusts 14
Sun 18Some cloud−3° to 5° on top · 11 mph, gusts 20
Mon 19Some cloud−4° to 5° on top · 5 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: Northwest Highlands forecast, West Highlands forecast, Met Office Northwest Highlands forecast, Meall Buidhe, Scottish Avalanche Information Service, The road to Kinloch Hourn.

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 Ted and Jen (CC BY 2.0)

There are no public roads into the peninsula, so everyone arrives either by ferry or on foot.The Knoydart Foundation, the community body that describes itself as guardians of 7,000 hectares of the peninsula
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 848 989
  • 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

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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: Luinne Bheinn, Ladhar Bheinn, Sgurr na Ciche, Garbh Chioch Mhor. Checked on 10 October 2026. The facts on this page are the Knoydart Foundation's, Barrisdale Estate's, Western Isles Cruises', SSEN Transmission's, National Rail's and Mountaineering Scotland'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.