An Riabhachan

Infobox Mountain
Name = An Riabhachan
Photo = An_Riabhachan.jpg
Caption = An Riabhachan seen from Sgurr na Lapaich, three kilometres to the east.
Elevation = 1129 m (3704 ft)
Location = Highland, SCO
Range = Northwest Highlands
Prominence = 301 m
Topographic
OS "Landranger" 25, OS "Explorer" 414
First ascent =
Easiest route =
Grid_ref_UK = NH133344
Listing = Munro, Marilyn
Translation = The Brindled One
Language =Gaelic
Pronunciation = əˈrˠiəvəxanGB summits entry
Name=South West Top
Gridref=NH122336
Height=1086 m (3563 ft)
Status=Munro TopGB summits entry
Name=West Top
Gridref=NH117337
Height=1040 m (3412 ft)
Status=Munro Top

An Riabhachan is a Scottish mountain in the Skye and Lochalsh district of the Highland council area. It is situated 35 kilometres east of Kyle of Lochalsh standing in an isolated position at the western end of Loch Mullardoch, ten kilometres from any public road.

Overview

An Riabhachan reaches a height of 1129 metres (3704 feet) and is the fifth highest Munro north of the Great Glen and the 29th highest altogether. The mountains name originates from the Gaelic language and translates as “The Brindled One” which is believed to refer to the flecked effect given by the stone studded turf on the hill."The Magic of the Munros" Page 148 Gives details of translated name.]

Geography

An Riabhachan is mainly grassy mountain, the only rocky area being at the north end of the summit ridge which has the fine craggy coire of Coire Gnada which contains the two small lochs of Loch Mòr and Loch Beag. The eastern ridge which links to the adjacent Munro of Sgurr na Lapaich follows a steep edge above the hollow which holds these two lochs. The mountain has a 2.5 kilometre long summit ridge which does not drop below 1000 metres throughout its length and contains four high points including the summit. At the north east end of the summit ridge is the NE Top with a height of 1125 metres it is just four metres lower than the main summit, in the 1921 edition of the Munro Tables it was named as the summit of the mountain probably due to a surveying mistake which was corrected in the next edition of the tables. In 1997 it was deleted from the list of Munro Tops.

With the demise of the NE Top, An Riabhachan has been left with just two subsidiary tops which are listed in Munros Tables. The West Top with a height of 1040 metres stands at the extreme end of the summit ridge just before the western ridge descends to the Bealach Bholla and then continuing to the adjoining Munro of An Socach. The South West Top lies 700 metres SE of the West Top and has a height of 1086 metres. The summit ridge falls away on both sides with moderate grassy slopes to Loch Mullardoch to the south and the upper regions of Glen Strathfarrar to the north. [http://www.biber.fsnet.co.uk/munrotab_v2.csv Online version of Munros Tables.] Give details of subsidiary summits.]

Ascents

Guide books recommend several different routes of ascent for An Riabhachan. The mountain is usually climbed with some or even all of the three other Munros on the northern side of Loch Mullardoch and very rarely as a sole objective. One long walk starts at the Mullardoch dam in Glen Cannich (grid reference gbm4ibx|NH219316) and goes nine kilometres along the lochs northern shore before climbing An Riabhachan and returning to the starting point passing over Sgurr na Lapaich and Càrn nan Gobhar. The alternative route starts in Glen Strathfarrar at the hydroelectric power station in Gleann Innis (grid reference gbm4ibx|NH182381), reached by a 17-mile drive from Struy along a private road; the locked gate at the entrance to this road is opened at specified times to give access to walkers. [http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/access/strathfarrar.html] From the power station a stalkers' path leads to the Bealach Toll an Lochain between An Riabhachan and Sgurr na Lapaich, from where there is a further climb west of over 300 metres to reach the summit.

References

*"The Munros", Scottish Mountaineering Trust, 1986, Donald Bennett (Editor) ISBN 0 0907521 13 4
*"The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland", Diadem, 1993, Irvine Butterfield, ISBN 0 906371 30 9
*"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", Baton Wicks, 1996, Hamish Brown, ISBN 1 898573 08 5
*"The Munros Almanac", Neil Wilson Publishing, 1991, Cameron McNeish, ISBN 1 897784 01 5Footnotes