mountain bikers and hillwalkers keen to use
them to access the clutch of Munros on the
nearby Mamore Ridge. Kinlochleven has
reinvented itself, just as Patrick MacGill did
himself, all those years ago.
Few villages are so naturally blessed with
such a magnificent situation and such close
proximity to wild areas. One well-known
mountaineer suggested it was a ‘deplorable
town in a delectable setting.’ The delectable
setting is well worth exploring, and you will
discover why Patrick MacGill was in such
awe of these majestic mountains.
Triple tops
The three Munros of Sgurr Eilde
Mor (1010m/3314ft), Binnein Beag
(943m/3094ft) and Binnein Mor
(1130m/3707ft) form a trio of peaks that
surround the great corrie that drains north
to Tom an Eite at the head of Glen Nevis,
and are best accessed from Kinlochleven.
Views from all three summits are far-
reaching, with the open expanse of the
Rannoch Moor to the east and a whole
cluster of high peaks to the south, west and
north including the massive bulk of Ben
Nevis, crouching dominantly as it does
over the curving outline of the Carn Mor
Dearg Arête.
Sgurr Eilde Mor (big peak of the hind)
is the most easterly Munro of the Mamores,
the long ridge of peaks that form an
imposing mountain wall between Loch
Leven and Glen Nevis. Of the ten Munros
that make up the 14km-long Mamores ridge
Sgurr Eilde Mor and its near neighbour,
Binnein Beag, are probably the most
awkwardly placed for the Munro-bagger
intent on climbing a handful or more in one
outing. All the other tops are laced by high,
interconnecting ridges but the eastern pair
both involve a big descent and reascent from
the main ridge. Having said that, all three
can be climbed in a wonderful expedition
from Kinlochleven.
Just west of Loch Eilde Mor a stalkers’
path leaves the main track, an old and well-used path that shows signs of overuse in its
lower stretches. Higher up, as it traverses the
south slopes of Sgor Eilde Beag, it tightens
up considerably before zig-zagging three or
four times into another traverse that drops
you into the incredibly atmospheric hollow
that cradles the blue/green waters of Coire
an Lochain.
Beyond the corrie, the perfect cone
of Binnein Beag rises as a foreground to
the Aonachs and Ben Nevis whilst, closer
at hand, the pyramidal summit slopes of
Sgurr Eilde Mor cast a dark reflection into
the waters of the loch. It’s an incredibly
atmospheric place. If the legendary Celtic
water-horse, the each-uisge, lives anywhere,
it’s surely here in the dark waters of this
high-level tarn.
I climbed Sgurr Eilde Mor for television
a number of years ago with adventure
film-maker Paul Diffley, and it was with
something of a surprise we realised it was
the 10th day of the 10th month of 2010.
We were even more intrigued when weThe Great OutdoorsAugust 2019 39