Sgurr Eilde Mor & Binnein Beag, Mamores
GLENCOE AND KINLOCHLEVEN
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1. The walk begins from the car park adjacent to St Paul's Church in Kinlochleven; it is signed 'Grey Mare's Tail' from the main road. Follow the path from the edge of the car park into the woods; it is signed for 'Spean Bridge' and 'Corrour Station', and waymarked in several colours. The original path and car park were a gift from Alcan (the company that operated the Aluminium works that were the reason Kinlochleven was built); however the company recently pulled out of the town and a new path has been built using EU funds. Almost at once the path reaches a t-junction; turn left here. After a short distance on the surfaced path, turn right by a marker post (following the red waymark and ignoring all the other colours).
2. From here on, keep on the main path, ignoring minor branches and another path off to the left. The route climbs up through the deciduous woodland and gives increasingly good views back over Kinlochleven and Loch Leven behind. Soon another junction is reached with another marker post; keep right (following the red waymarker). As the path climbs the original zig-zagging stalkers path has been short-cutted by a variety of eroded, direct routes; it is best to keep to the original route to avoid worsening the erosion. Soon the trees are left behind and more open moorland is reached.
3. Continue on the clear path across the moor until it eventually reaches a vehicle track. Turn left here very briefly before turning right again to continue in the original direction on another stalkers path. This slopes uphill before crossing a stream and then beginning to climb across the steep flanks of Sgor Eilde Beag. There are good views over Loch Eilde Mor and to the Blackwater Reservoir and Dam in the distance. Watch out for a sharp zig-zag to the left at one point, marked by a tumbledown cairn; there is a faint path continuing straight ahead created by walkers who have missed this.
4. The route traverses round Sgor Eilde Beag, curving to the left, keeping high above the loch but below the cliffs. There is an impressive but daunting view of Sgurr Eilde Mor across the lochan; our route saves this peak for the return journey. Continue on the stalkers path until it reaches a four-way junction. The left branch climbs up towards Binnein Mor, whereas the sharp right turn heads for Sgurr Eilde Mor. Continue ahead on a path which slopes downhill a little, curving to the left before beginning to descend into the Coire a Bhinnein valley. The clear path descends to the stream in this valley via a series of zigzags, before crossing the stream. Continue downstream for a short distance before the stalkers path heads off to the left, beginning to climb once more.
5. Keep to the clear but somewhat boggy stalkers path as it climbs across the hillsides all the way to the lochan on the bealach between Binnein Mor and Binnein Beag. To ascend Binnein Beag, follow the faint path on the near side of this lochan which begins to climb up the broken south ridge. This ridge has boulders and scree but there is a path for most of the climb which helps; there is a short, avoidable scrambly section near the top.
6. The summit of Binnein Beag is 943 metres, making it the second lowest of the Mamores Munros. This belies the fact that its remote position makes it perhaps the hardest of the range to reach. There are extensive views over the bleak headwaters of Glen Nevis, with Ben Nevis towering to the north together with the Grey Corries. The most impressive part of the view however is looking back down the route of ascent to the lochan far below, with Binnein Mor towering above. Return back down to the lochan by the route of ascent, and all the way back across the Coire a Bhinnein valley and up the zig-zag path on the far side.
7. Before reaching the junction mentioned earlier, bear left towards the west ridge of Sgurr Eilde Mor; the path from the junction will be joined just below the first scree slope. Turn left along this path, which climbs round onto the northwest face before making a final climb up to the crest of the west ridge via steep, eroded scree. The summit of Sgurr Eilde Mor is 1010m, just a short distance along this ridge to the left. It has a stunning view across the lochan to the main Mamores ridge.
8. Descend back down the path and follow it to the junction of stalkers paths mentioned earlier. Turn left here to retrace the stalkers path back round and down to the vehicle track below Loch Eilde Mor. To vary the return to Kinlochleven, you can turn right along the stalkers track, passing a stone bench with a superb view of Loch Leven.
9. Just after the bench turn left onto a path heading downhill. This descends into the valley ahead to another path junction; again turn left. Follow the main path through the woodland, keeping left once again at a waymarked junction, to descend a steep, eroded trench-like section through the trees. Turn right beyond this to reach a footbridge. You can visit the impressive Grey Mare's Tail waterfall by detouring straight ahead here; otherwise cross the bridge and climb the steps before following the path back to the car park.
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Accommodation links for this area:
Kinlochleven and Glencoe Hotels and Inns
Kinlochleven and Glencoe B&B (Bed and Breakfasts)
Self catering cottages in Kinlochleven and Glencoe
Fort William, Lochaber and Glencoe hostels
