Glencoe Walks – 5 Favourite Corbetts in Glencoe

Glencoe Walks – Garbh Bheinn

This short walk is ideal for those with limited time.  The walk starts from Caolasnacon, 3 miles west of Kinlochleven. A short, rugged ascent takes you up the west ridge to the summit of Garbh Bheinn. Perched high above Loch Leven, this is a truly magnificent viewpoint.

The 360^o panorama includes Ben Nevis rising above the Mamore range to the north and the scrambler’s playground of the Aonach Eagach immediately to the south.  The descent can be varied by dropping south off the west ridge to pick up the path down Gleann a’ Chaolais. 

• Map needed is OS Landranger Sheet 41 or Harvey’s Superwalker Glen Coe. The walk will take around 3.5 to 4.5 hours.

Although prominent at the east end of Glen Coe, this hill goes virtually unnoticed by most visitors as eyes are inevitably drawn to its majestic neighbours.  However, an ascent of Beinn a’ Chrulaiste provides one of the truly outstanding Highlands vistas. The view south westward  to the gable end of Buachaille Etive Mor is one which is sure to live long in the memory.

Starting at Altnafeadh, for a short outing, I would recommend going up and down the west ridge, although a longer walk can be made by descending to Kingshouse and returning to the start point along a section of the West Highland Way.

• Map needed is OS Landranger Sheet 41 or Harvey’s Superwalker Glen Coe. The shorter walk will take around 2 to 3 hours, while the longer option will take around 4.5 to 6 hours.

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This hill is a long granite ridge running parallel to the shore of Loch Etive. It is from the end of the single-track road down Glen Etive that it is most easily climbed.  Once the north-east ridge is gained, it is followed all the way to the summit with increasingly mesmerising views across the loch to Ben Starav and back up Glen Etive toward Buachaille Etive Mor and Buachaille Etive Beag. 

By far the easiest return is to retrace your outward route. I have descended steep gullies south westward to pick up the lochside path, but this is extremely tough going and your knees will not thank you for taking this option.

• Map needed is OS Landranger Sheet 50 or Harvey’s Superwalker Glen Coe. The walk will take around 4.5 to 5.5 hours.

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There is something very satisfying about traversing a mountain on a point-to-point walk and, by catching the morning bus from Duror to Ballachulish, it is possible to walk back to Duror via Fraochaidh. 

This route offers a new perspective on Beinn a’ Bheithir whose bulk dominates the view ahead for those driving south over the Ballachulish Bridge, but whose southern slopes are seldom seen.  On the descent westward from the summit, the views down Loch Linnhe to the islands of Lismore and Mull are captivating.

Curiously, although the Gaelic name of this hill means ‘heathery’,  it actually has very little heather on its slopes and is a predominantly grassy hill.

• Maps needed are OS Landranger Sheets 41 & 49. The walk will take around 6.5 to 8 hours.

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This route is the longest of the five described here, but you will surely agree that it is worth every ounce of effort.  Initially following the West Highland Way out of Kinlochleven for 4 miles, the route then climbs to Mam na Gualainn before enjoying a stunning high-level walk eastward to Beinn na Caillich. 

The ridge is sandwiched between Loch Leven on one side and the Mamore range on the other. The views are never short of breathtaking – on a clear day you will find it hard to tear yourself away for the descent.     

• Map needed is OS Landranger Sheet 41 or Harvey’s Superwalker Glen Coe. The walk will take around 7 to 9 hours.

Want to find more walks in the Scottish Highlands? Have a read of 5 Walks You Must Do in Highland Perthshire and our series Top 5 Walking Routes in the Cairngorms.

Mesmerized by Glencoe’s rugged outlines? See it for yourself on the following trips which visit Glencoe: