The best Munros for Beginners

Fancy climbing a Munro in Scotland?

Ben Lomond, Loch Lomond

With stunning views of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park from even halfway up and under an hour’s drive from Glasgow, you can see why over 30,000 people climb to the top of 974m high Ben Lomond every year.

The climb up Ben Lomond starts from the car park at Rowardennan (£3/day) on the east side of Loch Lomond – be warned, on a good day car park can be jam-packed and you will be following a stream of people heading up into the hills, they don’t call Ben Lomond ‘Loch Lomond’s Sauchiehall Street’ for nothing! Munro no.1 – done!

• Read more – A beginners guide to climbing Ben Lomond
• Ben Lomond route via Walkhighlands

Ben Vorlich, Loch Earn

After Ben Lomond, Ben Vorlich or ‘The Hill of the Bay’ at Loch Earn (don’t mistake this one for the one at Loch Lomond, below) is one of the most popular beginners Munros as it is easily accessible from both Edinburgh (in fact it is the closest Munro to Edinburgh) and Glasgow, the climb is straightforward and there is great path up to the top. Plus the views to tougher neighbour Stuc a’Chroin, down to Loch Earn and across to the Ben Lawers range on Loch Tay across the whole of Perthshire are stunning.

• Read more How to Climb Ben Vorlich Loch Earn
• Ben Vorlich route via Walkhighlands

Beginners Tip 1 –  climbing your first Munro will mean climbing continually upwards for at least 2 hours. It will be hard work, whatever your fitness – and for my first Munro, I had absolutely none! If you have never hill walked before it is worth climbing these beginners hills in Scotland first to work up some hill stamina.

Beginners Tip 2 – Before you leave check the weather at your elevation via Mountain Forecast and the Mountain Weather Information Service. The weather can change dramatically from 100m to 900m+.

Beginners Tip 3 – you cannot hill walk with a route plotted onto a Google map. Instead, you will need an Ordnance Survey map of your route and a compass. However, carrying a map is also useless if a) you don’t know how to read it, and, b) you have no idea where you are. However, you’ll be surprised how many people won’t admit either, so start by practising with a map – Ordnance Survey have a Map Reading Made Easy Guide.

Meall Nam Tarmachan, Loch Tay  

Gaelic for the ‘Hill of the Ptarmigan’, Meall Nam Tarmachan in the Ben Lawers Range above Loch Tay is probably my favourite Munro (to date). Access to Meall Nam Tarmachan is from the Ben Lawers car park at 400m which makes this a very quick Munro climb with rewarding views for very little work. For a full day out take the spectacular, but a lot more challenging, Tarmachan Ridge back down.

• Read more – how to climb Meall nan Tarmachan
• Meall Nam Tarmachan route via Walkhighlands

Ben Nevis

The UK’s biggest hill is actually one of the most popular Munros for beginners, so join the 150,000 people who attempt to climb to the summit each year. The main route up Ben Nevis is the ‘Mountain Path’ – also known as the ‘the Ben Nevis tourist route’ – which makes it sound easy – it is not. Ben Nevis is a 5-mile slog uphill – and often with no visibility. Don’t expect to get a view from Scotland’s highest mountain, the top of Ben Nevis is clear on average just 14 days a year!

However, if you do get a clear day, the views across Scotland and down to Fort William and Loch Linnhe, and as far as the Isle of Mull is absolutely stunning which makes that slog worth it. No view? Well, you’ve still stood on the top of the UK…

• How to climb Ben Nevis
• Ben Nevis route by Walkhighlands

Beinn Ghlas & Ben Lawers, Loch Tay

By this point, you will probably be realising just how long it would take you to ‘bag’ all 282 Munros. Time to start multiple bagging!

The easiest way to bag your first multiple Munros is to climb Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers. Why? Well, Ben Lawers (1214m) might be the 10th highest mountain in Scotland, but thankfully you don’t have to climb all of it. It isn’t quite as hard as it seems… Starting at 400m at the Ben Lawers Nature Reserve you pop over the small Beinn Glass (1103m) before finally climbing up to the summit of Ben Lawers.  You can return back over Beinn Ghlas or there is a path around the side. Two Munros – just like that (technically three, we did Beinn Ghlas twice!)

• Read more – Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers
• Ben Lawers route via Walkhighlands

Beginners Tip 4 – never rely technology. Why? read the full story of why I will never take a mobile phones for granted again – hopefully, you might pick up some tips too!

Beginners Tip 5 – I wear leather waterproof walking boots (I recommend Scarpa), good hiking socks, and waterproof or windproof trousers. On top, I wear multiple base layers and a in dry weather hydro down jacket. Because the weather can change so quickly I also always carry a hard shell waterproof jacket. I love my fleece lined hat and I always keep climbing gloves handy for any scrambly bits.

Beginners Tip 6 – never climb without safety gear – always carry an Ordnance Survey Map, compass (learn how to use it), waterproof map bag, head torch, bivvy bag, and lighter or matches. We also carry a first aid kit, and a whistle. I use the OS app and carry an extra battery pack charger. Don’t forget water, food, and sweets for a sugar boost – you might need them on the way down.

Driesh and Mayar, Cairngorms

This pair of slightly unremarkable Munros sit above the rather remarkable glacial bowl that is Corrie Fee, making for a memorable day out. As a beginner, Mayar and driesh are a great introduction to the Cairngorm Plateau. Whilst the Munros tops themselves might be a little dull, the views of the plateau are utterly desolate and wide-ranging. You can really feel just how inhabited parts of Scotland really are.

• Read more: Corrie Fee
• Driesh and Mayar route map by Walkhighlands

Ben Vane, Loch Lomond

The smallest of all the Munros at just 914m, Ben Vane is also one of the toughest, climbing steeply up from Loch Lomond over a series of false summits and scrambly bits. However, the reward from the top is a fabulous view across the Arrochar Alps, Ben Lomond and across to the Trossachs, Ben Ledi and Ben Venue. Watch out – this hill is a bit of a knee killer on the way back down!

• Read more: how to climb Ben Vane
• Ben Vane route map by Walkhighlands

Ben Vorlich, Loch Lomond

The ‘Arrochar Alps’ stand tall above the north end of Loch Lomond and from the loch the mighty Ben Vorlich (‘Hill of the Bay’) is the most dramatic. Climbed from the hydroelectric dam at Loch Sloy, be warned, the hike up Ben Vorlich is very steep and boggy and leads you up a series of false summits.

However, all that effort is seriously worth it – like Ben Vane the view across Loch Lomond, to Ben Lomond and to the rest of the Arrochar Alps is simply stunning. For Munro Baggers, the trig point at 941m isn’t actually the top of Ben Vorlich, 943m is marked by a cairn further up the summit plateau.

• Read more: how to climb Ben Vorlich, Loch Lomond

• Ben Vorlich route map by Walkhighlands

Meall Corranaich and Meall a’Choire Leith, Loch Tay

Meall Corranaich & Meall a’Choire Leith are hidden away at the back of the Ben Lawers range. The hills give great views back over the whole Ben Lawers range and over the Lairig an Lochain mountain pass and reservoir. From the bealach (pass) between the Munros you can also watch all the other walkers trudging up the side of the big hill – Ben Lawers. This is also a short hill walk as you start at 500m – 3 hours and lots of peat bogs later you will be back at the car.

• Meall Corranaich route by Walkhighlands

Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime, Arrochar

The ‘Arrochar Alps’ loom over Loch Long and the Alp’s most famous peak, The Cobbler is one of Scotland’s most popular short hill walks. The Munros are another story altogether. You can climb Beinn Narnain and the highest of the range, Ben Ime in one route. Despite its lack of height, Beinn Narnain is a tough little hill and Ben Ime is a boggy slog, but boy, are the views of the surrounding hills, including the Cobbler are worth it. Especially if you get an inversion…

• Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime route via Walkhighlands

Schiehallion, Loch Tummel

Schiehallion (1,083m) is arguably the most ‘mystical’ of all the Munros due to its name meaning “Fairy Hill of the Caledonians”. I’ve also read people call Schiehallion the ‘constant storm’ due to the often nasty weather conditions on its slopes. However, Schiehallion is a great beginners Munro due to the well-made path most of the way up the mountain, that is until you reach the legendary (and very hard!) boulder field at the top.

• Schiehallion route via Walkhighlands

Ben More and Stob Binnein, Crianlarich

Ben More by Crianlarich is one of Scotland’s toughest hills – and the biggest hill in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Ben More and Stob Binnein come with a health warning – the climb up the front of the Munro is relentlessly steep. You can cheat slightly by climbing up the bealach between the two hills, before climbing Stob Binnein and then Ben More, heading down the front face of the mountain. Even doing it this way my legs were agony for days and it still felt like a huge achievement – Ben More should never be underestimated.  

• Read more: how to climb Ben More

• Ben More route by Walkhighlands

Want more walks in Scotland?

Work your way up to bagging a Munro – 10 best hills for beginners in Scotland

Scotland’s best day hikes – including a walking marathon through two of Scotland’s best glens

My video guide to how to bag a Munro

Don’t fancy hill walking? – here are Scotland’s best short walks

Warning – climbing Scotland’s mountains in winter is for the experienced and very well prepared hill walker. If you are a beginner please read my guide to hill walking in Scotland before attempting any of these routes. All of these Scotland mountains are suitable for those with a reasonable amount of fitness – there is no scrambling or rock climbing required!

Love from Scotland x