The highest mountains in the UK and Ireland

Ben Nevis tops the list at 1,345 m, and the Scottish Highlands hold every one of the 30 highest. Here they are ranked by height in metres and feet, followed by the highest mountain in each of Scotland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Highest mountain in each country of the UK and Ireland

The highest mountain outside Scotland is Yr Wyddfa - Snowdon, 1,085 m (3,560 ft), lower than every one of the 30 in the table below. Those 30 are all Munros, Scotland's mountains over 3,000 ft (914.4 m).

The 30 highest mountains in the UK and Ireland

Ranked by summit height. The list counts separate mountains, the Munros, and leaves out subsidiary tops such as Ben Macdui North Top, which sit on the shoulders of bigger hills.

#MountainAreaCountryMetresFeet
1 Ben Nevis Highland Scotland 1,345 m 4,413 ft
2 Ben Macdui Cairngorms Scotland 1,309 m 4,295 ft
3 Braeriach Cairngorms Scotland 1,296 m 4,252 ft
4 Cairn Toul Cairngorms Scotland 1,291 m 4,236 ft
5 Sgor an Lochain Uaine Cairngorms Scotland 1,258 m 4,127 ft
6 Cairn Gorm Cairngorms Scotland 1,245 m 4,085 ft
7 Aonach Beag Highland Scotland 1,234 m 4,049 ft
8 Aonach Mor Highland Scotland 1,220 m 4,003 ft
9 Carn Mor Dearg Highland Scotland 1,220 m 4,003 ft
10 Ben Lawers Perth and Kinross Scotland 1,214 m 3,983 ft
11 Beinn a' Bhuird Cairngorms Scotland 1,196 m 3,924 ft
12 Beinn Mheadhoin Cairngorms Scotland 1,183 m 3,881 ft
13 Carn Eighe Highland Scotland 1,183 m 3,881 ft
14 Mam Sodhail Highland Scotland 1,179 m 3,868 ft
15 Stob Choire Claurigh Highland Scotland 1,177 m 3,862 ft
16 Ben More Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Scotland 1,174 m 3,852 ft
17 Ben Avon - Leabaidh an Daimh Bhuidhe Cairngorms Scotland 1,172 m 3,845 ft
18 Stob Binnein Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Scotland 1,165 m 3,822 ft
19 Beinn Bhrotain Cairngorms Scotland 1,157 m 3,796 ft
20 Derry Cairngorm Cairngorms Scotland 1,156 m 3,793 ft
21 Lochnagar - Cac Carn Beag Cairngorms Scotland 1,156 m 3,793 ft
22 Sgurr na Lapaich Highland Scotland 1,152 m 3,780 ft
23 Sgurr nan Ceathramhnan Highland Scotland 1,150 m 3,773 ft
24 Bidean nam Bian Highland Scotland 1,149 m 3,770 ft
25 Ben Alder Highland Scotland 1,148 m 3,766 ft
26 Geal-charn Highland Scotland 1,132 m 3,714 ft
27 Ben Lui Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Scotland 1,131 m 3,711 ft
28 Binnein Mor Highland Scotland 1,130 m 3,707 ft
29 An Riabhachan Highland Scotland 1,129 m 3,704 ft
30 Creag Meagaidh Highland Scotland 1,128 m 3,701 ft

Where the high ground is

Most of the highest ground in the British Isles is in the Highlands, in a few groups: the Nevis range above Fort William with Ben Nevis, Carn Mòr Dearg and the Aonachs; the Cairngorm plateau with Ben Macdui, Braeriach, Cairn Toul and Cairn Gorm; and the Ben Lawers range above Loch Tay. These are big, serious mountains with arctic conditions in winter.

Outside Scotland, Snowdonia holds the only summits in Wales over 3,000 ft, the Welsh 3000s, led by Yr Wyddfa. England's 3,000 ft mountains are all in the Lake District: Scafell Pike, Scafell, Helvellyn and Skiddaw. In Northern Ireland the Mourne Mountains rise to Slieve Donard above Newcastle in County Down, and in the Republic of Ireland the highest ground is the MacGillycuddy's Reeks in County Kerry, crowned by Carrauntoohil.

Heights here come from Peakify's mountain database. Survey figures for some peaks differ by a metre or so between sources.

Highest mountain questions

What is the highest mountain in the UK and Ireland?

Ben Nevis, 1,345 m (4,413 ft), in the Scottish Highlands. It is the highest mountain in the British Isles.

What is the highest mountain in Ireland?

Carrauntoohil, 1,039 m (3,409 ft), is the highest mountain on the island of Ireland. The highest in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard, 850 m (2,789 ft).

What is the highest mountain in Wales?

Yr Wyddfa - Snowdon, 1,085 m (3,560 ft).

What is the highest mountain in England?

Scafell Pike, 978 m (3,209 ft), in the Lake District.

Why are all the highest mountains in the UK and Ireland in Scotland?

The Scottish Highlands are the largest area of high ground in the British Isles. The highest mountain outside Scotland, Yr Wyddfa - Snowdon, 1,085 m (3,560 ft), is lower than all of the 30 highest.

More mountains

See all the Munros, browse every UK mountain by height, or find a hill for your first summit in the best UK mountains to climb.