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Beinn Eighe
is the eastern guardian of Glen Torridon, with two Munros, one recently
promoted. It hides its great cliff scenery on its northern flanks but
this walk provides superb views of these, both from the ridge, and from
the coire beneath its north western terminating ridges.
This walk
begins and ends at a car park on the road just west of the burn coming
down the Coire Dubh Mor (NG 958 569). There is another path up to Spidean
Coire nan Clach, starting 2.25 km further east; using this entails some
road walking at the beginning or end of the day.
The start
of the path takes easy slopes to a steeper finish over scree and rocks,
turning east near the head of Coire nan Clach to gain the spur of Stuc
Coire an Laoigh. This leads to the trig point at 972m, while 200m to the
north east is the actual summit of the first of two Munros at 993m. (Spidean
Coire nan Clach, NG 966 598).
From the
summit go back over the trig point and continue the traverse of the main
ridge westward. A col at 822m is reached before climbing up again to reach
a cairn. This is at the east end of the level summit of Coinneach Mhor
(976m). Now descend north east to reach the col at the head of Coire Mhic
Fhearchair and go north up the ridge to reach the summit of the second
Munro, Ruadh-stac Mor, the highest summit of Beinn Eighe at 1010m (NG
951 611).
Views of
the fine triple buttresses of Coire Mhic Fhearchair are particularly stunning,
with the two rock types quite noticeable in their contrast - the dull
Torridonian sandstone and the paler quartzite above. The next section
continues the panorama, as firstly one returns to the col then descends
north west down a steep gully into Coire Mhic Fhearchair.
Traverse
the loch anticlockwise to reach the path next to its outflow and follow
this good path round under Sail Mhor to reach Coire Dubh Mor and hence
the way back to Glen Torridon and the car park.
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