Stob Choire Claurigh

Stob Choire Claurigh
Stob Choire Claurigh above the Leanachan Forest. Seen from the north.
Highest point
Elevation	1,177 m (3,862 ft) [1]
Prominence	446 m (1,463 ft)
Listing	Munro, Marilyn
Naming
Translation	Peak of the Brawling Corrie (Gaelic)
Pronunciation	Scottish Gaelic: [ˈs̪t̪op ˈxɔɾʲə ˈklˠ̪ãũɾɪ] English approx: stop khor-ya klow-ri
Geography
Location	Highland, Scotland
Parent range	Grey Corries
OS grid	NN262738
Topo map	OS Landranger 41, OS Explorer 392

Looking SW from the summit along the Grey Corries ridge with the weather closing in.

Stob Choire Claurigh (Scottish Gaelic: Stob Choire Clamhraidh) is a Scottish mountain situated 16 km (10 mi) east of Fort William in the Lochaber district of the Highland council area. It is part of one of the best ridge walks on the Scottish mainland.^[2]

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). 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.^[3][4]

Geography

Stob Choire Claurigh is a substantial mountain which includes four subsidiary tops (three of which are listed in the 1997 edition of Munro's Tables),^[5] 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.

Ascents and view

The most popular starting point for the direct ascent of Stob Choire Claurigh is Corriechoille farm (grid reference 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.^[6]

References

• The Munros, Scottish Mountaineering Trust, Donald Bennett (Editor) et al., ISBN 0-907521-13-4
• 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 0-7153-2168-4

Footnotes

Munros of Scotland: Fort William to Loch Ericht
	Nevis range	Aonach Beag Aonach Mòr Ben Nevis Càrn Mòr Dearg
	Mamores	Am Bodach An Gearanach Binnein Beag Binnein Mòr Na Gruagaichean Sgùrr Eilde Mòr Sgùrr a' Mhàim Stob Bàn Stob Coire a' Chàirn Mullach nan Coirean
	Grey Corries	Stob Bàn Stob Choire Claurigh Sgùrr Choinnich Mòr Stob Coire an Laoigh
	Alder/Ardverikie	Aonach Beag Ben Alder Beinn Bheòil Beinn a' Chlachair Beinn Eibhinn Càrn Dearg Creag Pitridh Geal-Chàrn Mullach Coire an Iubhair
	Ossian/Treig	Beinn na Lap Càrn Dearg Chno Dearg Stob a' Choire Mheadhoin Stob Coire Easain Stob Coire Sgriodain Stob Gaibhre
List of Munros

Coordinates: 56°49′26″N 4°50′54″W / 56.82389°N 4.84833°W / 56.82389; -4.84833