Buachaille Etive Mòr is arguably the most photographed mountain in Scotland. Typically photographed from this angle (as viewed from the Kings House hotel or the top of the road down to Glen Etive) it looks like a near perfect triangle and certainly appears quite unassailable for a hiker.
Fortunately, though, there are a few ways up and I decided to make the most of the epic weather week this week to tick this one (and its two munros) off my list.
The plan was:
- Stob Dearg (Munro)
- Stob na Doire (a Munro Top that required more effort, frankly, than the second Munro)
- Stob Na Broige (Munro)
| Hike date | 8th April 2025 |
| Weather conditions | Warm and sunny |
| Distance hiked | 15.20km |
| Time taken | 7.5 hours |
| Elevation gain total | 1,186m |
| Terrain | Rocky terrain, steep in party. Ends with a relatively flat path through a valley though |
| Hiked with | Solo |
Buachaille Etive Mòr Hiking Route to Bag Both Munros
This is the route I followed:
It took in both munros and a munro top in the middle too. Here’s a bit more detail.
I parked in the small car park close to the Langarbh Hut just off the A82. From here, you enjoy views like this:
I followed the path past the Langarbh Hut and soon it forks left and right. Stay right for this route and you’ll soon start ascending through this corrie:
The path I followed stays to the right of the scree chute. And as you look towards the top of the Corrie here you can see some lingering snow. Essentially we’re heading towards just to the right of that snow where we’ll be topping out on the bealach.
It is rocky and very steep ascent. I’m not going to lie – I was feeling it a LOT on the way up. As you approach the top of this part it gets a little scrambly but it’s more just a bit of light touch scrambling and nothing graded. The views are lovely already!
Once you reach the bealach, it’s a left turn to head out to the first summit – Stob Dearg. This is the summit that appears as the tip of a near perfect triangle from the infamous view point. It really is a spectacular mountain summit:
The views from here stretch across Rannoch Moor for miles and down into Glencoe and Glen Etive.
This summit was really something special, particularly in such wonderfully clear conditions.
The views will live long in my memory.
From here I retraced my steps back to where I topped out on the bealach after the first stage of the ascent. From that position, the next summit looks pretty formidable:
And let’s be honest… photos never do real justice to how big a hill looks. Despite its 1,010m height, Stob na Doire is a munro top and not a munro.
However, if Munro status was awarded based on hiking effort, this woud definitely be one. I found this one a tougher hike than the second munro.
Still, I was delighted to bag another summit.
It makes up for its lack of Munro status with some exceptional views too:
The view above shows the first summit, Stob Dearg, from the second one. But this munro top had exceptional views on all sides.
I continued my walk off this summit with a steep and very rocky descent for which care was required, before quickly ascending to an uncategorised little hill that separated me from my final ascent up the second Munro – Stob na Broige.
There’s a wonderful section of ridge (seen behind me in the photo below) that leads up to Stob na Broige.
The ascent to this munro felt like a breeze compared with the Munro top. And again the views from Stob na Broige were just phenomenal, stretching right the way to Loch Etive:
Just unreal!
From here, I traced my steps back towards that bloomin’ munro top. But fortunately, instead of having to get back up it. I began my descent from the bottom of it into the valley.
The intial descent was rocky and very steep and I’m not afraid to admit to bum shuffling at points!
However, once you make it down into the valley you’ll enjoy a gentle few kilometres along the valley back to the A82.
A kilometre or so back up the road (there are paths just off the side of the road to save you walking on the road itself) and you’ll be back at your car.
How Hard is Buachaille Etive Mòr?
It’s a reasonably tough hike, this one, with a lot of rocky terrain and a LOT of ups and downs. But navigation in good conditions is fairly simple.
How long does it take to hike Buachaille Etive Mòr?
Alltrails estimates 7 to 9 hours. It came in at 7.5 for me, including some stops to take photos. So it really depends on your fitness, how much of a rush you’re in and also, of course, the conditions. I had lovely dry conditions for my hike.
Would I do this one again?
Honestly, this was one of my favourite solo hiking days to date. It was just beautiful and the views across the whole ridge line are just incredible in good conditions.
I’d love to go back here via Curved Ridge… so this one could well be on the cards again!
Buachaille Etive Mòr Hike FAQs
A few questions and answers on this hike!
The route I went, no. There’s some very light touch scrambling towards the top of the first major ascent and some hands may be needed at points in the day to help steady yourself, but this is not a scrambling route.
There’s an alternative route up the first summit, Stob Dearg, known as curved ridge which is (I believe) a grade 3 scrambling route for those looking for some scrambling though.
As ever, this one depends very much on your child and their hiking experience. In summer conditions, I would have no issue at all taking my middle or eldest (aged 8 and 10) up the route I went up.
It took me 7.5 hours (of which moving time was 4 hours 25 minutes according to my Garmin). I faff a lot though (flying the drone out, taking photos, snacking etc).
AllTrails estimates that you should allow between 7 and 9 hours. I had allowed myself up to 10 but didn’t need that in the good conditions.
The route I took isn’t a particularly dangerous route in summer conditions.
Curved Ridge is a grade 3 scramble though so will present more dangers. And it’s important to say that any mountain hike can present dangers.
There are call outs by Mountain Rescue to this mountain in both summer and winter conditions. In summer 2023, a hiker fell while on the summit of Stob Dearg and call outs here are not particularly unusual.
In winter, the initial ascent I took through the Coire na Tulaich, can be an avalanche risk owing to the large amount of snow that accumulates at the top. In 2009, 3 climbers died and others were injured as the result of an avalanche in the Coire.
So as with any mountain, dangers can be present here.
In good summer conditions, if you’re relatively hill fit and equipped, this isn’t likely to present any serious hazards however.
