Bidean nam Bian and Stob Coire Sgreamhach Route Information

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Bidean nam Bian & Stob Coire Sgreamhach

Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

1320 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

12.93 km

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

41	Ben Nevis, Fort William & Glen Coe

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A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

This is a classic route relatively easy in summer, moderate in winter.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Glencoe

From Glencoe Village (A82) travel E to the bridge over the River Coe near the junction with the minor road to the Clachaig Inn and the track to the Achnambeithach Mountain Rescue Centre.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,320 metres. Allow 5 hours to complete this 12.93 km route.

In winter months please check the local snow conditions at sais.gov.uk.

The hillphones service can inform you of stalking activities in the area.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Start from A82 on west side of road bridge over River Coe
		NN13745658	Distance	Altitude 90 m

1	Follow well constructed path into Coire nam Beithe
		NN13925530	Distance 1.46 km	Altitude 530 m

2	Ascend SSE turning SE to col (980m)
		NN14595448	Distance 1.10 km	Altitude 980 m

3	Ascend SW to summit of Bidean nam Bian
		NN14375421	Distance 0.38 km	Altitude 1150 m

4	Head SE on ridge to col (945m)
		NN15085370	Distance 0.89 km	Altitude 945 m

5	Ascend E to summit of Stob Coire Sgreamhach
		NN15495364	Distance 0.41 km	Altitude 1072 m

6	Return W to col
		NN15085370	Distance 0.41 km	Altitude 945 m

7	Return to 945m col and descend NE into Coire Gabhail (Lost Valley)
		NN15505436	Distance 1.24 km	Altitude 570 m

8	Head NE through the Lost Valley to bridge over the River Coe
		NN17335638	Distance 2.79 km	Altitude 145 m

9	Follow path N turning W to join road
		NN15885709	Distance 1.92 km	Altitude 120 m

10	Head W on road to reach start
		NN13745658	Distance 2.33 km	Altitude 90 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

West Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)

West Highlands
by Met Office

Bidean nan Bian
by Metcheck

Images of Bidean nam Bian & Stob Coire Sgreamhach

Heading from Bidean Nam Bian in the direction of Stob Coire Sgreamhach

Image by Steve Macluskie

Me on the glacial boulder in the Lost Valley below Stob Coire Sgreamhach

Image by Jo Kinsley

Bidean nam Bian, seen from the summit of Stob Coire Sgreamhach about 30 minutes before sunset, 18th November 2005. Fabulous brilliant day and, with torch for later in rucksac, I lingered alone with the mountain to myself. Magic!

Image by David S Brown

Descending the SE ridge of Bidean 18/4/08

Image by Norrie Shand

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

Where to Stay

We currently have no
sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

Rating & Reviews

Rating & Reviews

Rated:

from 15 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by Sc Joss on 16 Apr 2010:

we climbed from Lost Valley up to BNB then round to SCS and descent into Glen Etive to a second car. would not recommend this descent it was painfully steep and utterly relentless. the return route from SCS into the lost valley did not look much more appealing with snow on it as the head wall would have proved a bit tricky. if I were doing it in snow again would probably opt for going up the head wall from LV, onto SCS first and off BNB via Stobe Coire Nan Lochan in Coire Nan Lochan but only because of the slushy snow making steep slopes difficult. cracking pair of hills!

Written by Peter Lang on 01 Sep 2008:

Ascended via Lost Valley as damp and dreich with no views (abandoned plan to ascend via Beinn Fhada, save for another trip). Excellent paths all day thanks to efforts of National trust. S.C. Sgreamhach only 10mins from bealach and onwards to Bidean in the drizzle. Descended NE to S.C.nan Lochan then NW around impressive eerie cloudy clifftops before descending east into Coire nan Lochan and followed spectacular white water and waterfalls back to glen coe and car. Super circuit with good company only thing missing was the views, just need to come back again. Took 8 hours with plenty of breaks.

Written by Graham Ellis on 22 Jul 2008:

Did the Coire nan Lochan and over Stob Coire nan Lochan route to Bidean and Sgreamhach, coming back down the Lost valley. Note to take the path to the right of the river bed at the big boulders. Just before the water reappears in the river there is a way across (not very obvious as the main path appears to continue on the SE side of the river) to join the top path on the NW side of the river to go back directly to the big car park.

Written by John Gilchrist on 31 Dec 2007:

Agree with K C-B below - best ascent is by Coire nan Lochan. Winter will give you the advantage too of a cracking grade 1 winter route up Broad Gully. Just watch for descent traffic, though, the 'Broad' gully is actually rather narrow and popular.

Written by Martin Joyce on 02 Nov 2007:

I think it's probably better to start up the Coire nan Lochan and walk over Stob Coire nan Lochan to get to Bidean. That way you start and finish at the nice big car park half-way up Glencoe and save a nasty walk along the road at the end of your day. I know it means a bit more climbing but there's a good path and exciting views all the way up. To avoid the boulders at the bottom of the Lost Valley, look for a good path slanting up to the right about 50m metres before the first big rock.

Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

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