Stob Choire Claurigh
| Stob Choire Claurigh | |||
| Inverness-shire | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Stob Choire Claurigh above the Leanachan Forest | |||
| Range: | Grey Corries | ||
| Summit: | 3,862 feet NN262738 | ||
Stob Choire Claurigh is a mountain in Inverness-shire, which reaches a height of 3,862 feet at its summit, and so it qualifies as a Munro. It is in the Grey Corries range and may be found 5 miles east of Fort William.
This mountain is reckoned to form part of one the best ridge walks on the mainland of Great Britain, though a very energetic one.
Contents
Overview
Stob Choire Claurigh stands in the Grey Corries, a group of mountains strung out along a ridge five miles long which never falls below the 2,600-foot contour, and includes twelve summits, four of which reach Munro top status. Stob Choire Claurigh is the highest of the Grey Corries reaching a height of 3,862 feet. The upper part of the mountain and the main section of the ridge is composed of pale grey quartzite rocks and scree making an eye-catching sight which is well seen from the villages of Spean Bridge and Roybridge and the A86 road which runs between them.
The mountain's name is from the Gaelic Stob Choire Clamhraidh, meaning "Peak of the Brawling Corrie", taken from the verb clamhras which means 'clamouring' or 'brawling'. The name refers to the roaring of the many stags, which inhabit the corries of the mountain in the rutting season.[1][2]
Geography
Subsidiary tops
The mountain has three subsidiary tops above 3,000 feet which are listed as Munro tops:
- Stob Coire na Ceannain, NN267745, 3,684 feet
- Stob a' Choire Lèith, NN256736, 3,625 feet
- Stob Coire na Gaibhre, NN261757, 3,143 feet
A fourth top is:
- North Top, 3,678 feet
General view
Stob Choire Claurigh is a substantial mountain which includes four subsidiary tops (three of which are listed in the 1997 edition of Munro's Tables),[3] four high corries and long, forested, northern slopes which descend to the valley of the River Spean. Three main ridges radiate from the summit. The northern ridge descends for a mile to the "Munro Top" of Stob Coire Gaibhre, continuing for a further mile to the Forestry Commission owned Leanachan Forest, where it broadens into the Spean valley.
Four hundred yards from the summit on the northern ridge is the North Top (3,678 feet), at this point a spur goes east to the subsidiary summit of Stob Coire na Ceannain, offering easy scrambling. This eastern spur can be used as a means of ascent up rough, stony slopes from the Lairig Leachach pass.
The two other ridges link to adjacent Munros, with the south ridge connecting to Stob Ban, a mile distant, over a col with a height of 2,635 feet. The twisting, high-level southwest ridge continues for 2 miles over the "Munro Top" of Stob a' Choire Lèith, to link to the next mountain, also a Munro, Stob Coire an Laoigh.
The four principal corries on the mountain are steep walled, holding snow well into the spring with streams which rise at around the 3,280-foot mark, they drain in various directions but all eventually feed the River Spean, reaching the west coast at Loch Linnhe.
Ascents and view
The most popular starting point for the direct ascent of Stob Choire Claurigh is Corriechoille farm (grid reference NN251807) at the end of the minor road from Spean Bridge. The route follows the Lairig Leacach track through a short section of the Leanachan Forest, the track is left immediately after the forest and steep slopes are climbed on the right hand side to reach the northeast ridge. The ridge is followed over Stob Coire Gaibhre and along the rim of Coire na Ceannain which gives airy views down to its circular lochan, to reach the summit which is marked by a pile of quartzite boulders.
There is a fine view from the top, especially to the SW where there is a fine outlook of the switchbacks and tops of the Grey Corries ridge backed by Aonach Beag and Ben Nevis. Many walkers will continue SW along the Grey Corries ridge descending eventually by the north ridge of Stob Coire an Laoigh down to the forest and eventually Corriechoille.[4]
References
- The Munros, Scottish Mountaineering Trust, 1986, Donald Bennett (Editor) ISBN 0-907521-13-4
- In the Hills of Breadalbane, V.A. Firsoff, no ISBN
- The Munros, Scotland's Highest Mountains, Cameron McNeish, ISBN 1-84204-082-0
- The Magic Of The Munros, Irvine Butterfield, ISBN 0-7153-2168-4
- Hamish's Mountain Walk, Hamish Brown, ISBN 1-898573-08-5
- ↑ "The Munros" Page 76 Gives details of translation.
- ↑ "The Magic of the Munros" Page 67 Gives details of translation.
- ↑ The Munros and Tops 1891-1997. Spreadsheet giving details of changes to Munro's Tables at each revision.
- ↑ "The Munros" Page 76 Gives details of ascent from Corriechoille.
| Munros in SMC Area SMC Section 4 - Loch Linnhe to Loch Ericht |
|---|
|
Am Bodach • An Gearanach • Aonach Beag (Alder) • Aonach Beag (Nevis) • Aonach Mor • Beinn a' Chlachair • Beinn Bheoil • Beinn Eibhinn • Beinn na Lap • Ben Alder • Ben Nevis • Binnein Beag • Binnein Mòr • Càrn Dearg (Alder) • Càrn Dearg (Loch Ossian) • Càrn Mòr Dearg • Chno Dearg • Creag Pitridh • Geal Charn • Geal Charn, Ardverekie • Mullach nan Coirean • Na Gruagaichean • Sgor Gaibhre • Sgurr a' Mhàim • Sgùrr Choinnich Mòr • Sgùrr Eilde Mòr • Stob a' Choire Mheadhoin • Stob Bàn, Grey Corries • Stob Bàn, Mamores • Stob Choire Claurigh • Stob Coire a' Chairn • Stob Coire an Laoigh • Stob Coire Easain • Stob Coire Sgriodain |
