Stob Choire Claurigh

Infobox Mountain
Name = Stob Choire Claurigh
Photo = Grey_Corries_from_the_north.jpg
Caption = Stob Choire Claurigh above the Leanachan Forest. Seen from the north.
Elevation = 1177 m (3862 ft)
Location = Highland, SCO
Range = Grey Corries
Prominence = 446 m
Topographic
OS "Landranger" 41, OS "Explorer" 392
First ascent =
Easiest route =
Grid_ref_UK = NN308254
Listing = Munro, Marilyn
Translation = Peak of the Brawling Corrie
Language =Gaelic
Pronunciation = s̪t̪op ˈxɔɾʲə ˈklˠ̪ãũɾɪ

GB summits entry
Name=Stob Coire na Ceannain
Gridref=NN267745
Height=1123 m (3684 ft)
Status=Munro TopGB summits entry
Name=Stob a’ Choire Lèith
Gridref=NN256736
Height=1105 m (3625 ft)
Status=Munro TopGB summits entry
Name=Stob Coire na Gaibhre
Gridref=NN261757
Height=958 m (3143 ft)
Status=Munro TopStob Choire Claurigh (Scottish Gaelic: Stob Choire Clamhraidh) is a Scottish mountain situated convert|16|km|abbr=on|0 east of Fort William in the Lochaber district of the Highland council area. It is part of one the best ridge walks on the Scottish mainland."100 Best Routes on Scottish Mountains" Page 72 “One of the longest and most entertaining ridge walks on the (Scottish) mainland”.]

Overview

Stob Choire Claurigh stands in the Grey Corries, a group of mountains strung out along an eight km long ridge which never falls below the 800 metre (2,600 ft) contour and includes twelve summits, four of which reach Munro status. Stob Choire Claurigh is the highest of the Grey Corries reaching a height of 1,177 metres (3,862 ft) making it the 15th highest Munro [http://www.scottishsport.co.uk/walking/munrolist1.htm www.scottishsport.co.uk.] Gives a list of Munros in height order.] and the 11th highest Marilyn in Britain. [http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/marilyns/chapter4.htm The Relative Hills of Britain.] Gives a list of Marilyns in height order.] The upper part of the mountain and the main section of the ridge is composed of pale grey quartzite rocks and scree making an eye-catching sight which is well seen from the villages of Spean Bridge and Roybridge and the A86 road which runs between them. The mountains name translates from the Gaelic language as “Peak of the Brawling Corrie”, taken from the verb clamhras which means clamouring or brawling. The name refers to the roaring of the many stags, which inhabit the corries of the mountain in the breeding season."The Munros" Page 76 Gives details of translation.] "The Magic of the Munros" Page 67 Gives details of translation.]

Geography

Stob Choire Claurigh is a substantial mountain which includes four subsidiary tops (three of which are listed in Munros Tables), four high corries and long, forested, northern slopes which descend to the valley of the River Spean. Three main ridges radiate from the summit. The northern ridge descends for two km to the “Munro Top” of Stob Coire Gaibhre (958 metres) continuing for a further two km to the Forestry Commission owned Leanachan Forest where it broadens into the Spean valley. Four hundred metres from the summit on the northern ridge is the North Top (1121 metres), at this point a spur goes east to the subsidiary summit of Stob Coire na Ceannain (1123 metres), offering easy scrambling. This eastern spur can be used as a means of ascent up rough, stony slopes from the Lairig Leachach pass.

The two other ridges link to adjacent Munros, with the south ridge connecting to Stob Ban, 1.5 km distant, over a col with a height of 803 metres. The twisting, high level SW ridge continues for three km over the “Munro Top” of Stob a’ Choire Lèith (1105 metres) to link to the Munro of Stob Coire an Laoigh. The four principal corries on the mountain are steep walled, holding snow well into the spring with streams which rise at around the 1000 metre mark, they drain in various directions but all eventually feed the River Spean, reaching the west coast at Loch Linnhe. [http://www.biber.fsnet.co.uk/munrotab_v2.csv Online version of Munros Tables.] Gives details of Munros Tops.]

Ascents and view

The most popular starting point for the direct ascent of Stob Choire Claurigh is Corriechoille farm (grid reference gbm4ibx|NN251807) at the end of the minor road from Spean Bridge. The route follows the Lairig Leacach track through a short section of the Leanachan Forest, the track is left immediately after the forest and steep slopes are climbed on the right hand side to reach the north east ridge. The ridge is followed over Stob Coire Gaibhre and along the rim of Coire na Ceannain which gives airy views down to its circular lochan, to reach the summit which is marked by a pile of quartzite boulders. There is a fine view from the top, especially to the SW where there is a fine outlook of the switchbacks and tops of the Grey Corries ridge backed by Aonach Beag and Ben Nevis. Many walkers will continue SW along the Grey Corries ridge descending eventually by the north ridge of Stob Coire an Laoigh down to the forest and eventually Corriechoille."The Munros" Page 76 Gives details of ascent from Corriechoille.]

References

*"The Munros", Scottish Mountaineering Trust, Donald Bennett (Editor) et al, ISBN 0 0907521 13 4
*"The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland", Irvine Butterfield, ISBN 0 906371 30 9
*"100 Best Routes on Scottish Mountains", Ralph Storer, ISBN 0 7515 0300 2
*"Hamish’s Mountain Walk", Baton Wicks, 1996, Hamish Brown, ISBN 1 898573 08 5
*"The Magic of the Munros", Irvine Butterfield, ISBN 0 7153 2168 4Footnotes