Beinn Alligin

Beinn Alligin, 985m

Date: 30/6/84 17/7/89 9/7/97

Tops and Munros

Companions: with Marjory in 84, Soren Rossner in 89 and Iain in 97

Sgurr Mor (M) 985m
Tom na Gruagaich (M) 922m

Distance: 12km

Climbing: 1200m

Time: 5-6 hours

Weather: I'ver never yet seen the view clearly! Low cloud or haze!

Munro Tally: M52-53, T82-83

A superb mountain! I have climbed it 3 times, all by the same route, but with different companions.

Starting from the car park on the Diabaig road, a good path leads up through the woods into Coire Mhic Nobuil. After about a mile, the path splits, and youn continue up the left hand branch into the gap between Beinn Alligin and Beinn Dearg (which at 914m deserves to be a Munro, but isn't quite!). Then the fun begins! A steep and rough path threads its way up the sandstone outcrops towards the Horns of Alligin. As you gain height, there are widening views back east towards Beinn Eighe, Beinn Dearg and Liathach.

About 2 hours from the start, you find yourself on top of the first of the three "horns". Don't be tempted to bypass them by the wee path on their south side! Each horn is slightly different; all can be crossed with a little care, and the use of hands (and occasionally knees). The drops to the north side are vertiginous. The trickiest bit is the descent from the last of the three horns to the bealach before the ascent of Sgurr Mor. From here, it is 200m uphill steeply to the summit.

Surprisingly, the west side of Sgurr mor is simply an easy grassy slope. Don't go down it too far, though, as it is a long way from the foot of the slope to anywhere! The next amazing feature is the "great gash". It looks like a giant has hacked the mountain with an enormous axe, leaving a huge gully which runs from just below the summit down into the rock-strewn corrie of Toll a Mhadaidh Mor. Then continue down to the bealach and scramble up the rocky north ridge of Tom na Gruagaich - originally a "top" but now promoted to a 2nd Munro. Stop on its summit to admire a bird's eye view of the "horns".

From Tom na Gruagaich, the descent is down the narrow, steep and rocky Coir' na Laogh, then across peat bogs back to the car park.

Ben Alligin from Gairloch Baosbehinn, Beinn Dearg and Ben Alligin from the beach at Gairloch

Alligin skyline

Panoramic view of Beinn Alligin from near the car park: Tom na Gruagaich on the left. Sgurr Mor with the "great gash" in the centre, and the 3 "horns" to the right.

Horns of Alligin 1

Horns of Alligin 2

Two views of the "Horns of Alligin" (Na Rathanain) - from Tom na Gruagaich (left) - from Sgurr Mor (right), with Beinn Dearg visible behind. Both photos taken on the 1984 ascent, when the cloud never quite lifted from the summits.

Horns of Alligin 3

<<< Horns of Alligin

This picture show the steep north side of the Horns, and the tricky sandstone steps that need to be negotiated in their traverse. The distinctive cone of Liathach is faintly visible in the distance.

Summit Photo >>>

On the summit in 1989. The cloud was off the top, but it was very hazy, so there were no views to the west coast.

me on the summit 1989

Iain on Sgur Mor 1989

view down Coir nan Laogh 1989

Iain on the summit of Sgurr Mor in 1997 (aged 13). This was one of his first Munros - with the aded bonus that it became 2 Munros about a week after we climbed it! Once again, the "horns", beinn Dearg, Beinn Eighe and Liathach in the background.

Looking down Coir nan Laogh (the route of descent off Tom na Gruagaich) towards Loch Torridon in 1989.

the

Route map >>>

<<<

The Great Gash

Looking down the "great gash" on Sgurr Mor

route map

To see an OS 1:50000 map of this mountain, click here

To see a road map of the area around this mountain, click here

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Comments or questions? david@dbethune.com

Date: 30/6/84 17/7/89 9/7/97	Tops and Munros
Companions: with Marjory in 84, Soren Rossner in 89 and Iain in 97	Sgurr Mor (M) 985m Tom na Gruagaich (M) 922m
Distance: 12km
Climbing: 1200m
Time: 5-6 hours
Weather: I'ver never yet seen the view clearly! Low cloud or haze!
Munro Tally: M52-53, T82-83
A superb mountain! I have climbed it 3 times, all by the same route, but with different companions. Starting from the car park on the Diabaig road, a good path leads up through the woods into Coire Mhic Nobuil. After about a mile, the path splits, and youn continue up the left hand branch into the gap between Beinn Alligin and Beinn Dearg (which at 914m deserves to be a Munro, but isn't quite!). Then the fun begins! A steep and rough path threads its way up the sandstone outcrops towards the Horns of Alligin. As you gain height, there are widening views back east towards Beinn Eighe, Beinn Dearg and Liathach. About 2 hours from the start, you find yourself on top of the first of the three "horns". Don't be tempted to bypass them by the wee path on their south side! Each horn is slightly different; all can be crossed with a little care, and the use of hands (and occasionally knees). The drops to the north side are vertiginous. The trickiest bit is the descent from the last of the three horns to the bealach before the ascent of Sgurr Mor. From here, it is 200m uphill steeply to the summit. Surprisingly, the west side of Sgurr mor is simply an easy grassy slope. Don't go down it too far, though, as it is a long way from the foot of the slope to anywhere! The next amazing feature is the "great gash". It looks like a giant has hacked the mountain with an enormous axe, leaving a huge gully which runs from just below the summit down into the rock-strewn corrie of Toll a Mhadaidh Mor. Then continue down to the bealach and scramble up the rocky north ridge of Tom na Gruagaich - originally a "top" but now promoted to a 2nd Munro. Stop on its summit to admire a bird's eye view of the "horns". From Tom na Gruagaich, the descent is down the narrow, steep and rocky Coir' na Laogh, then across peat bogs back to the car park.	Baosbehinn, Beinn Dearg and Ben Alligin from the beach at Gairloch


Panoramic view of Beinn Alligin from near the car park: Tom na Gruagaich on the left. Sgurr Mor with the "great gash" in the centre, and the 3 "horns" to the right.


Two views of the "Horns of Alligin" (Na Rathanain) - from Tom na Gruagaich (left) - from Sgurr Mor (right), with Beinn Dearg visible behind. Both photos taken on the 1984 ascent, when the cloud never quite lifted from the summits.
		<<< Horns of Alligin This picture show the steep north side of the Horns, and the tricky sandstone steps that need to be negotiated in their traverse. The distinctive cone of Liathach is faintly visible in the distance. Summit Photo >>> On the summit in 1989. The cloud was off the top, but it was very hazy, so there were no views to the west coast.

Iain on the summit of Sgurr Mor in 1997 (aged 13). This was one of his first Munros - with the aded bonus that it became 2 Munros about a week after we climbed it! Once again, the "horns", beinn Dearg, Beinn Eighe and Liathach in the background.		Looking down Coir nan Laogh (the route of descent off Tom na Gruagaich) towards Loch Torridon in 1989.