Ruadh-stac Mor and Spidean Coire nan Clach Route Information

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Ruadh-stac Mor & Spidean Coire nan Clach

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

1263 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

6 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

18.38 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.

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OS Landranger Maps Required

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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

A Scottish classic with the magnificent triple buttress in Coire Mhic Fearchair. A moderate route, but the traverse of Beinn Eighe including the triple buttress (highly recommended) is more difficult as it requires scrambling.

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: Torridon

From Torridon Village travel E to A896 then ENE 5km to car park.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,263 metres. Allow 6 hours to complete this 18.38 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 carpark on A896 at entrance to Coire Dubh Mor
		NG95835687	Distance	Altitude 90 m

1	Start out heading NE and follow path curving NW around Liathach
		NG94905880	Distance 2.47 km	Altitude 335 m

2	Continue NW through Coire Dubh Mor to branch in path
		NG93405943	Distance 1.65 km	Altitude 390 m

3	At branch bear NNW on ascending path round Sail Mhor
		NG93086087	Distance 1.69 km	Altitude 450 m

4	Continue on path as it bends to the NE and then E as it steepens towards Coire Mhic Fearchair (regarded as one of the finest corries in Scotland)
		NG93656120	Distance 1.55 km	Altitude 550 m

5	Ascend E alongside waterfall towards Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair. Cross the stream at the base of the Loch.
		NG94156112	Distance 0.53 km	Altitude 595 m

6	From east side of loch ascend SE to col (860m)
		NG95146027	Distance 1.36 km	Altitude 860 m

7	Head N to Ruadh-stac Mor
		NG95146115	Distance 0.94 km	Altitude 1010 m

8	Return S to 860m col
		NG95146027	Distance 0.94 km	Altitude 860 m

9	Ascend SW onto Coinneach Mhor
		NG95006005	Distance 0.25 km	Altitude 910 m

10	Descend SE onto ridge
		NG95755950	Distance 0.92 km	Altitude 795 m

11	Continue E on ridge to the trig point
		NG96525963	Distance 0.77 km	Altitude 955 m

12	Bear NE from the trig point to the summit of Spidean Coire nan Clach
		NG96635978	Distance 0.20 km	Altitude 993 m

13	Return SW to the trig point
		NG96525963	Distance 0.20 km	Altitude 955 m

14	Head SSE and locate the ridge descending into Coire an Laoigh
		NG96565941	Distance 0.23 km	Altitude 865 m

15	Continue E on path curving S through Coire an Laoigh
		NG96845934	Distance 0.29 km	Altitude 710 m

16	Continue SE to path
		NG97425903	Distance 0.69 km	Altitude 480 m

17	Descend SSE to road
		NG97765781	Distance 1.40 km	Altitude 105 m

18	Follow road SW to return to carpark
		NG95835687	Distance 2.29 km	Altitude 90 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

North West Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)

West Highlands
by Met Office

Liathach
by Metcheck

Images of Ruadh-stac Mor & Spidean Coire nan Clach

Beinn Eighe from Sgurr Dubh; 16th July 2009.

© Roger Vander Steen

Image by Roger Vander Steen

Oct 2009 - atmospheric ridge walk to the summit.

© David Harbottle

Image by David Harbottle

The Triple Buttress.

© Peter Chisholm

Image by Peter Chisholm

Ben Eighe from across Loch Clair

© Gordon Mackie

Image by Gordon Mackie

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

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sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

Rating & Reviews

Rating & Reviews

Rated:

from 9 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by Julian Stark on 03 Jun 2008:

Did as a single as had been up Ruadh-stac Mor years ago and needed a short day. Path is very good - hard going but quick to top. Beinn Eighe is without doubt the most complete mountain in Scotland and I look forward to post-Munro days when I can walk the whole ridge. 3 hours 20 with extended stop at top to admire the 2nd best mountain area in the country.

Written by Martin Joyce on 18 May 2008:

I did this more or less in reverse but started with an alternative from the SMC Munro guide which took me up to Spidean Coire nan Clach via the Allt Slugach (ie to the west of Stuc Coire an Laoigh). The advantage of this was that I both started and finished at the Lochan an Iasgair car park. The disadvantage was a dreadfully dull, steep and pathless ascent. Not recommended. The Coire an Laoigh path looks much better - though I'd have been quite happy with my route in reverse as a descent.

Written by Alan Morris on 08 Aug 2005:

I felt this route was excellent. It seemed to include so many features and aspects within it. We made base camp in the valley below and took in Beinn Alligin the following day. The approach to the corrie is full of anticipation and needless to say you are not disappointed on arrival. Then on into the fantastic scramble up the far slope onto the ridge which was my favourite part of the route. After a quick bagging of Ruadh Stac Mor we then fired across the rather daunting looking ridge linking the route over to the far Benin Eighe ridge and onto Spidean Coire Nan Clach itself. Superb.

Written by Brian Butler on 12 Jul 2005:

The entrance to Coire Mhic Fearchair is, quite simply, stunning. Despite poor weather, this hill provided my most enjoyable walk ever.

Written by Jamie Irons on 22 Mar 2005:

I did this route in reverse on a beautiful day in March. Fantastic mountain and great views. I think you're off by a couple of hundred meteres on total ascent though - there are two significant cols between the munros.

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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