Hiking the Three Sisters of Glencoe is easily one of our favourite Scottish Highlands adventures — spectacular landscapes, breathtaking views, and just enough of a challenge. However, this route is known for its tough terrain and shouldn’t be underestimated. In this post, we’re sharing how to have the best day on Bidean Nam Bian (to give it’s Gaelic name), with practical tips from a local Mountain Leader.

Written by: Trev Summits | August 2025

The Three Sisters is arguably the best hike in Glen Coe. It’s a long, tough day in the mountains over a variety of technical terrain, so it’s not for beginners. If you’re comfortable on steep scree chutes, mild scrambling, and you can navigate in poor weather, then you’ll love this route.

On a clear day, the views are phenomenal.

I’m Trev, a qualified Mountain Leader who guides in the Glen Coe mountains. Here’s some information to help you decide if the Three Sisters hike is for you. And, if you do decide to tackle it, I’ve included information to help with planning and the hike.

Hiking the Three Sisters of Glencoe | A Guide to Bidean Nam Bian

How long is the Three Sisters hike?

The route is 12km (7.5 miles) plus 1,460m (4,790 ft) of ascent. However, the terrain is rough and technical in places.

How many Hours to hike The Three Sisters?

It’ll take around 7-9 hours to hike the Three Sisters, depending on how fit you are, how long you stop, and your speed over rough terrain.

How difficult is The Three Sisters?

That’s subjective as it depends on your fitness and experience level. In my opinion, it’s achievable for anyone with a good fitness level and moderate hiking experience. It’s definitely not for beginners (if you’re new to hiking in Scotland, this beginner-friendly hiking list will help).

If the hike length, altitude and duration above don’t concern you, the next question is terrain. Are you comfortable on steep, loose scree, scrambling and rock slabs?

If you’re happy with the terrain, the final question is navigation.

On a clear day, you’ll have no problems using phone mapping software. However, in bad weather, it’s a scary place to be as there are numerous near-vertical drop-offs. In poor visibility, you need to be able to confidently navigate in mountainous terrain with a paper map & compass.

Is the Three Sisters dangerous?

Sadly, people have died on the Three Sisters route in recent years (BBC & Guardian). Anyone can have an accident in the mountains, even very experienced walkers.

However, the terrain on The Three Sisters means that the consequences of getting lost or slipping can be severe. In short, it’s not a beginner mountain and anyone going up needs proper hiking boots, equipment and a good level of experience on technical terrain.

I was on the mountain a few years ago and spotted a group of young men a few km behind me. They were wearing chinos, trainers and light jackets. No rucksacks and carrying nothing but a small bottle of water each. I stopped for a break at The Hidden Valley, and they caught and passed me. Their chinos and trainers were sodden and filthy from sliding down the screen on their bums.

The group had spread out with the fit ones ahead and the stragglers far behind. The man at the end staggered past me with signs of dehydration & fatigue. I gave him the rest of my water and a spare energy bar. Hats off, they made it, but it was a nice, clear day.

It could have been a different outcome if the weather had decided to be unkind.

Should I hire a guide for The Three Sisters?

If any of the above information concerns you, but you still want to hike The Three Sisters, I advise walking with an experienced guide. I frequently guide people on The Three Sisters, and I’d love to accompany you, too. Whether you’re coming as a group, a family, or a solo traveller, get in touch. My rates range from £220-£280 depending on your group size.

Where do I park for The Three Sisters?

The large Three Sisters viewpoint car park is free. It’s a very busy car park, so I recommend getting there early to guarantee a space and trying to park on one side to avoid the chaos. The car park is at 170m altitude.

What Munros are on the Three Sisters route?

A Munro is a Scottish mountain at least 3,000ft (915m) high. There are 282 of them in Scotland.

Bidean nam Bian: 1,150m (3,770 ft) - Munro
Stob Coire Sgreamhach: 1,072m (3,517 ft) - Munro

Bidean nam Bian is pronounced Bid-jen nam Bee-aan and means Peak of the Mountains.

Stob Coire Sgreamhach is pronounced Stob Cori Screa-aach and means Peak of the Horrible Coire.

Stob Coire nan Lochan is 1,115m (3,660 ft), but it’s too close to Bidean nam Bian to be classified as a separate Munro.

The Three Sisters weather forecast

Here are the mountain forecasts for The Three Sisters. It’s a good idea to check multiple forecasts and pay particular attention to the wind speeds.

What map do you need for The Three Sisters?

The closest place to buy maps is Fort William. There are loads of outdoor stores there. If you buy on Amazon and have Prime, you can get them delivered to the Fort William Post Office.

I don’t recommend a 1:50K Landranger map on The Three Sisters as there’s not enough detail for the tricky sections.

Three Sisters OS Maps Route and .gPX File

Here’s my personal OS Maps route that I use. I recommend using OS Maps in the U.K. You can get a 14-day free trial. If you want to walk in the other direction, you can reverse the route.

If you have a preferred digital mapping app, you can take the trial of OS Maps and export the .gpx file.

Three Sisters Hike Description

The route you take depends on whether you prefer going up steep, loose scree or coming down it. The scree chute to/from the Hidden Valley is getting more eroded each year, so it’s becoming tricky.

If you prefer going up scree, go clockwise, i.e. Hidden Valley first. Otherwise, go anticlockwise, i.e. Hidden Valley last. This description is for walking anticlockwise:

There’s an initial steep climb up Coire nan Lochan (750m), where it flattens at the impressive Toaster Rack. There’s one large rock slab on the ascent which can be tricky, especially in the wet. Don’t go down to the burn; stay high and climb it there.
The route from the summit of Coire nan Lochan to the ridge of Stob Coire nan Lochan isn’t obvious, but you should find faint paths now and then. Just aim directly for the base of the ridge.
There’s some mild scrambling up to Stob Coire nan Lochan (1115m). A short down & up takes you to Bidean nam Bian, the highest mountain in the area at 1150m.
A short descent and ridge walk takes you to Bealach Dearg. You’ll see the exit down the scree chute to The Hidden Valley. You can exit and have a shorter day, or ascend to Stob Coire Sgreamhach (1072m), then backtrack to the bealach (around 45 minutes).
Finally, descend the steep scree chute. It’s getting steeper and more eroded, so be careful here. If in a group, leave space and stagger so rolling stones don’t hit anyone lower down. The bad scree only lasts for a few hundred meters. The path gets gradually better on the way to the Hidden Valley.
Once you get to the forest, head up to the right, not into the valley. This path loops around big boulders and tough terrain.
You’re on the home straight now, just follow the path back to the car park. There are a few burn crossings that can be deep & fast flowing if it’s been raining - walking poles are handy here. There’s also a large boulder to traverse and climb down.

local Glencoe knowledge

The locals don’t call it The Three Sisters, that’s its nickname for non-Gaelic speakers. The highest mountain in the range, and the whole Glen Coe area, is Bidean nam Bian, and that’s the name locals use for this walk.

The glen is spelt Glen Coe, and the village is Glencoe. Most people use Glencoe as one word, but anything in the actual glen should really be Glen Coe. Unless it’s in Glen Etive!

Other Hikes in Glencoe

Here are some other hikes in Glencoe that I recommend:

The Hidden Valley: if The Three Sisters route sounds tough, you can just walk the last part, The Hidden Valley.
Buachaille Etive Mòr: the most famous mountain in Glencoe, “The Buckle” is shorter and less technical.

Guide To Hiking The Three Sisters of Glencoe