Tony Garofalo
Buachaille Etive Mor
As England continues to swelter in one of the hottest summers I can remember here is a temporary reprieve from the heat and a quick glance back to what was one of the best winter climbing seasons we’ve had for years. The mountain is Buachaille Etive Mor (“big herdsman of Etive”), a great favourite of all British hill-walkers and climbers and quite possibly one of the most photographed mountains in Scotland. It is located amongst the Central Highlands and stands at the head of Glen Etive, where it towers impressively above the A82 Glasgow to Fort William road.
Buachaille Etive Mor takes the form of a broad, undulating ridge that is over 4 miles long and runs in a south-west to north-east direction. Starting from the south-west the 4 principal tops on the ridge are Stob na Broige (3,136 feet), Stob Coire Altruim (3,080 feet), Stob na Doire (3,315 feet) and Stob Dearg (3,353 feet). Both Stob Dearg (“red peak”) and Stob na Broige (“peak of the shoe”) are classified as Munros. Buachaille Etive Mor is most frequently climbed from Altnafeadh, on the A82 road to the north of the hill. A good footpath avoids all difficulties and gives access to the main spine of the mountain via Coire na Tulaich. All of the tops may then be easily visited without recourse to technical climbing.
The picture was taken looking towards Stob Dearg from near the head of Glen Etive.
Buachaille Etive Mor
As England continues to swelter in one of the hottest summers I can remember here is a temporary reprieve from the heat and a quick glance back to what was one of the best winter climbing seasons we’ve had for years. The mountain is Buachaille Etive Mor (“big herdsman of Etive”), a great favourite of all British hill-walkers and climbers and quite possibly one of the most photographed mountains in Scotland. It is located amongst the Central Highlands and stands at the head of Glen Etive, where it towers impressively above the A82 Glasgow to Fort William road.
Buachaille Etive Mor takes the form of a broad, undulating ridge that is over 4 miles long and runs in a south-west to north-east direction. Starting from the south-west the 4 principal tops on the ridge are Stob na Broige (3,136 feet), Stob Coire Altruim (3,080 feet), Stob na Doire (3,315 feet) and Stob Dearg (3,353 feet). Both Stob Dearg (“red peak”) and Stob na Broige (“peak of the shoe”) are classified as Munros. Buachaille Etive Mor is most frequently climbed from Altnafeadh, on the A82 road to the north of the hill. A good footpath avoids all difficulties and gives access to the main spine of the mountain via Coire na Tulaich. All of the tops may then be easily visited without recourse to technical climbing.
The picture was taken looking towards Stob Dearg from near the head of Glen Etive.