Aonach Beag and Aonach Mòr from Glen Nevis

Summary

Aonach Beag and Aonach Mòr are two of the highest mountains in Britain. This route from Glen Nevis is the classic round, avoiding the ski developments that mar the northern flanks of Aonach Mòr. It gives a fairly long, rugged and remote hillwalk with superb views.

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Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

The large summit plateau has precipitous flanks; navigation skills needed. The first part of the descent from Aonach Mòr is very steep and eroded, and there is much boggy terrain lower down.

Deer Stalking information

Land south of ridge from Ben Nevis to Sgurr Choinnich Beag managed by John Muir Trust: no stalking issues.

Getting there

Start

Glen Nevis road end.

Public Transport

Bus service May to September runs up Glen Nevis as far as Polldubh falls.

Start Grid Ref

NN168691

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 16.5km / 10.25 miles
Time: 8 - 10 hours
Ascent: 1430m (Profile)

Summits Climbed

Munro: Aonach Beag
Munro: Aonach Mòr

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Walk Description

User reports (34)

Stage 1

Park at the car park at the very end of the Glen Nevis road, which is narrow for the last couple of kilometeres. To begin the walk, take the main path up the glen into predominantly deciduous woodland. The path is very popular but the surface is rugged and rocky in places. After a few hundred metres the glen curves to the right and narrows, with the cliffs across the river giving some of the feel of an Alpine gorge. The path continues up the glen and soon emerges from the trees. Ahead is a a tremendous view, with the green pastures of the valley floor surrounded by fine woodland backed by great mountains - with as centrepiece the great Steall falls, a tremendous waterfall where a stream cascades four hundred feet down a broken cliff into the glen.

Stage 2

Keep on the main path, ignoring the turning on the right towards the cable bridge. As the path rounds the corner to the left it has superb views of the falls just across the river. Continue on the now much quieter path up the glen for a further kilometre to reach a footbridge; cross this to reach the Steall ruins on the far side. These sad, crumbling remains are a reminder of a time when even the upper glen was inhabited.

Stage 3

Turn off the main path here, and follow the faint path which heads up the rough ground to the right of the Allt Coire nan Laogh. At around 380m the burn forks and the path keeps to the right of a small tributary, becoming much boggier for a time. Further up the path begins traversing the slopes off right - leave it to to climb directly towards the ridge. There are great views looking back down the glen.

Stage 4

Eventually the graident eases. It is possible to bypass the quartzite top of Sgùrr a' Bhuic on the north side towards a bealach, but it's a shame to miss this fine minor peak. Continue over quartzite rocks to reach the summit, which has a great sudden view across to the Grey Corries.

Stage 5

There's a steep and rocky descent NNE down to the bealach before the route ascends again, with crags on the right. The path bypasses a minor peak (1048m) to reach the higher summit of Stob Coire Bhealaich (1090m). From here there is a very slight descent before the route climbs again towards the great dome of Aonach Beag.

Stage 6

Although 'Beag' means small and 'Mòr' big, Aonach Beag is the higher of the two mountains; the name refers to the lesser bulk of the hill compared to the more massive Aonach Mòr to the north. Aonach Beag is a great viewpoint, with for Ben Nevis and Càrn Mòr Dearg magnificent to the west, a great tangle of peaks appearing in the direction of Glencoe, and a view between down Loch Linnhe towards the Isle of Mull. From the summit, descend the initially broad and gentle slopes to the northwest. These slopes soon steepen (with a rough zig-zag path) and the ridge narrows to the tiny bealach connecting with the broader slopes of Aonach Mòr; this area would be tricky to navigate in mist, especially in winter.

Stage 7

Continuing to the north, the slopes soon widen once more as a path leads up onto the great, flat, long but narrow plateau of Aonach Mòr, with impressive cliffs falling to the east. The summit, at 1221 metres, is in the very centre of this long plateau and again could be difficult to locate in mist; the view from the actual cairn is rather restricted by the flat surrounding slopes.

Stage 8

In such conditions, finding the descent route will be trickier still. Begin by retracing your steps towards Aonach Beag, but fork right after around 400m or so (there is a faint path in summer) to reach a small cairn. The descent leads off the steep western side of the plateau from here, down an extremely steep slope with a clear but badly eroded and unpleasant path. This leads down to the 830m bealach between Aonach Mòr and Càrn Mòr Dearg.

Stage 9

Once at the bealach, turn left and continue downhill for the long descent Coire Guibhsachan. There is a worn path down west side of the burn, which has some beautiful pools. The floor of the glen levels off after the first section of the descent, and becomes very boggy. Further on the ground steeps once more for the final descent back down to the footbridge and the path in Glen Nevis. Turn right here to return to Steall Falls, and then back through the rocky Nevis Gorge to return to the car park.

Route Profile

Where to stay

Fort William Hotels

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