OS Map of Liathach - Spidean a' Choire Leith

Heading up Liathach

A view back down to the road from the section of path above coire Toll a' Meitheach on Liathach.

07-May-24 • OutdoorMonkey • flickr

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On the ridge

The relentlessly steep climb up Liathach tops out on the ridge-crest not far from here (if heading east to west) and this is one of the first sections, leading up to the initial peak Stob a'Choire Liath Mhor. Beinn Eighe's Sail Mhor is the mountain on the right. There were very steep drops each side and I remember being surprised (but obviously shouldn't have been) that the 'exposure' had started so soon. It felt a warm-up for what was to come...!

07-May-24 • OutdoorMonkey • flickr

liathach torridon ridge mountain scotland highlands munro munros outside outdoor rural nature natural scenic scenery wild wilderness remote mountaintop 53731605876

Into the unknown

Heading towards the 'Am Fasarinen pinnacles' section on Liathach, hoping that advice I'd read from others ("go over the pinnacles, they're ok, and the bypass path is worse!") was true and they weren't as bad as they looked! Trouble is, you never know 'til you get there and try for yourself...

07-May-24 • OutdoorMonkey • flickr

liathach torridon ridge mountain scotland highlands munro munros amfasarinen pinnacles scramble scrambling outside outdoor rural nature natural scenic scenery wild wilderness remote mountaintop 53731805433

Liathach ridge path

One of the more straightforward parts of Liathach's ridge, in that it didn't involve scrambling!

07-May-24 • OutdoorMonkey • flickr

liathach torridon ridge mountain scotland highlands munro munros amfasarinen pinnacles scramble scrambling outside outdoor rural nature natural scenic scenery wild wilderness remote mountaintop 53730683117

Last pinnacle

Looking west on Liathach on a traverse of the ridge, with the last of the Am Fasarinen pinnacles in view, the second (western) munro peak Mullach an Rathain beyond that to the right, and Loch Torridon in the distance.

07-May-24 • OutdoorMonkey • flickr

liathach torridon ridge mountain scotland highlands munro munros amfasarinen pinnacles scramble scrambling outside outdoor rural nature natural scenic scenery wild wilderness remote mountaintop 53732030580

953 Liathach - Spidean a' Choire Leith b

07-Jun-07 • Dugswell2 • flickr

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The grandeur of Liathach's North Face. Looking west to Mullach an Rathain, 1023 metres, from Spidean a Choire Leith, 1,055 metres, along the summit ridge.

Commentary North face of Ben Nevis. Creag Meagaidh. An Teallach. Aonach Eagach and Bidean nam Bian above Glencoe. Lochnagar in Royal Deeside. All these include mountain grandeur, par excellence. To this list must be added the Torridon peaks north of Glen Torridon, mainly the peaks of Beinn Eighe and Liathach. Rich red, weathered and stepped Torridonian Sandstone, 500 million years old, underpinned by a base rock of Lewisian Gneiss between 2 and 3 billion years old. Many peaks here are capped by white, weathered Quartzite scree that can sometimes be confused with snow. The ridge, seen here, above Glen Torridon is awesome. The very rocky, scree-laden slopes of the hidden north face plummet over 1,000 metres to the cupped, corrie lochan of Loch Coire na Caime.

01-Sep-89 • Scotland by NJC. • flickr

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The raw, brutal grandeur of the Liahtach Ridge above Glen Torridon, Wester Ross, Scotland.

Commentary North face of Ben Nevis. Creag Meagaidh. An Teallach. Aonach Eagach and Bidean nam Bian above Glencoe. Lochnagar in Royal Deeside. All these include mountain grandeur, par excellence. To this list must be added the Torridon peaks north of Glen Torridon, mainly the peaks of Beinn Eighe and Liathach. Rich red, weathered and stepped Torridonian Sandstone, 500 million years old, underpinned by a base rock of Lewisian Gneiss between 2 and 3 billion years old. Many peaks here are capped by white, weathered Quartzite scree that can sometimes be confused with snow. The ridge, seen here, above Glen Torridon is awesome. The very rocky, scree-laden slopes of the hidden north face plummet over 1,000 metres to the cupped, corrie lochan of Loch Coire na Caime.

22-Aug-89 • Scotland by NJC. • flickr

54111523330

The raw, brutal grandeur of the Liahtach Ridge above Glen Torridon, Wester Ross, Scotland.

Commentary North face of Ben Nevis. Creag Meagaidh. An Teallach. Aonach Eagach and Bidean nam Bian above Glencoe. Lochnagar in Royal Deeside. All these include mountain grandeur, par excellence. To this list must be added the Torridon peaks north of Glen Torridon, mainly the peaks of Beinn Eighe and Liathach. Rich red, weathered and stepped Torridonian Sandstone, 500 million years old, underpinned by a base rock of Lewisian Gneiss between 2 and 3 billion years old. Many peaks here are capped by white, weathered Quartzite scree that can sometimes be confused with snow. The ridge, seen here, above Glen Torridon is awesome. The very rocky, scree-laden slopes of the hidden north face plummet over 1,000 metres to the cupped, corrie lochan of Loch Coire na Caime.

22-Aug-89 • Scotland by NJC. • flickr

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An ice-scoured landscape matured to beauty. Grandeur of Glen Torridon from near to the summit ridge of mighty Liathach, Wester Ross, Scotland.

Commentary. I have enjoyed climbing many mountains in Scotland, some of them, several times. Rarely can one capture the scale, the grandeur, the humbling texture of rocks that have been metamorphosed and eroded for between 500 million and 3 billion years, almost three-quarters of the age, of this amazing planet. Awesome. Magnificent. Surreal. Moving. Dynamic. Fantastic. Many more adjectives trip off the tongue. No matter how pleasing the image, it comes nowhere near the ecstasy of being there, feeling that stunning reality, that wild, breath-taking beauty. The slope, near right, plunges almost 3,500 feet, straight down to the valley floor. Quite overwhelming. I am truly privileged to have felt this magic, so many times. I wish everyone could be there, and sense these emotions, on such a throne of the Gods. Alas, not possible…… but this, is the nearest that I can offer!

22-Aug-89 • Scotland by NJC. • flickr

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Grandeur of Glen Torridon from near to the summit ridge of Liathach, Wester Ross, Scotland.

Commentary. I have enjoyed climbing many mountains in Scotland, some of them, several times. Rarely can one capture the scale, the grandeur, the humbling texture of rocks that have been metamorphosed and eroded for between 500 million and 3 billion years, almost three-quarters of the age, of this amazing planet. Awesome. Magnificent. Surreal. Moving. Dynamic. Fantastic. Many more adjectives trip off the tongue. No matter how pleasing the image, it comes nowhere near the ecstasy of being there, feeling that stunning reality, that wild, breath-taking beauty. The slope, near right, plunges almost 3,500 feet, straight down to the valley floor. Quite overwhelming. I am truly privileged to have felt this magic, so many times. I wish everyone could be there, and sense these emotions, on such a throne of the Gods. Alas, not possible…… but this, is the nearest that I can offer!

22-Aug-89 • Scotland by NJC. • flickr

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