Scotland
Meall na Samhna
866M
2841FT
About Meall na Samhna
Often overlooked in favour of the neighbouring Munros, this broad-shouldered hill offers a quieter alternative to the busy Lawers range. Its high, grassy plateau is punctuated by rocky outcrops, providing a grandstand view across Glen Dochart towards the unmistakable twin peaks of Ben More and Stob Binnein.
Key Statistics
Rank
71st Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Grampians
Prominence
?
42.3m
Nearest Town
Botaurnie
Geology
You are walking on the Ben Lawers Schist. These lime-rich rocks began as fine mud, eventually squeezed and heated into the layered stone beneath your feet.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NN489333
Latitude
56.4680°N
Longitude
4.4540°W
Did You Know?
- •The name translates from Gaelic as the 'Hill of Hallowe'en' or 'Hill of Samhain', marking the ancient Celtic festival that heralded the beginning of winter. It likely served as a seasonal marker for local communities moving livestock down from high summer grazings.
- •Designated as a Special Area of Conservation, the hill is protected for its rare alpine flora. The underlying mica-schist geology creates base-rich 'flushes'—wet, mineral-heavy ground that supports specialized plants and mosses rare elsewhere in the UK.
- •The summit offers a unique perspective on the Tarmachan Ridge to the west, revealing the true, serrated scale of Meall Garbh’s cliffs which are often hidden from those actually walking the ridge itself.
- •Despite its impressive height of 866m, its lack of Munro or Corbett status ensures that even on a clear Saturday, you are more likely to encounter a stray sheep than another hiker.