From mighty Munro summits to iconic graded ridge scrambles, Glen Coe is perhaps Scotland’s best-loved valley – and here are the mighty glen’s 7 best hikes and scrambles.
Glen Coe is Scotland’s most iconic and dramatic valley – a place that sets the hearts of hillwalkers racing with excitement and anticipation. It is a long valley, running on an east-west axis from the boggy plains of Rannoch Moor in the east over to Glencoe village and the shores of Loch Leven and Loch Linnhe in the west. The noisy A82 dissects the valley, but the steady stream of HGVs and tourist campervans, somehow, don’t distract from the place’s aura.
Either side of the road is a mesmerising collection of superlative mountains, including eight Munros. To the north are Meall Dearg and Sgorr nam Fiannaidh, two Munros connected by the knife-edge ridge of Aonach Eagach (Notched Ridge in Gaelic), a nerve-jangling grade two scramble over a series of soaring pinnacles and rocky chimneys. To the south of the road are the glorious Munros of Bidean nam Bian (Chief of the Hills) and Stob Coire Sgreamhach, which rise proudly above the much-photographed rocky bulges known as the Three Sisters.
To the east, wedged between Glen Coe and the equally spectacular Glen Etive, are Stob Dearg and Stob na Broige, the two Munros that, somewhat confusingly, collectively form what is known as Buachaille Etive Mor (Big Herdsman of Etive) Next door is Buachaille Etive Beag (Little Herdsman of Etive), which consists of the Munros of Stob Dubh and Stob Coire Raineach.
There are other Munro options nearby too: Sgor na h’Ulaidh and Beinn Fhionnlaidh, which are perhaps more commonly climbed from Glen Etive; the twin Beinn a’Bheithir Munros to the south of Ballachulish; and Creise and Meall a’Bhuiridh above the Glen Coe ski centre; while other non-Munro peaks such as the Pap of Glencoe and Beinn a’Chrulaiste offer similarly superlative hiking. Or, in other words, you’re not short of epic hiking and scrambling options in Glen Coe.
INOV8 ambassador and prolific hiker James Forrest, who climbed all 282 Munros over a six-month period in 2019, suggests his favourites. Here is his round-up of 7 of the Best Hikes & Scrambles in Glen Coe.
Disclaimer: The GPX traces in this article are for use as a guide only. Their accuracy may change depending on the scale of map you are using. Please use these GPXs in combination with your own judgement, paper maps and research.
1. Aonach Eagach – 9km, 1,105m ascent
Like the crest of a formidable tidal wave, the Aonach Eagach ridge is a knife-edge arête of dizzying proportions – a snaking fin of sharp pinnacles, craggy turrets and rocky spines, with vertiginous drops on either side. It’s not a place for the faint-hearted. Negotiating the terrain is a grade two (and up to grade three) scramble, requiring sure-footedness, technical scrambling confidence and a head for heights.
Or, in other words, it’s about as difficult as things get before it’s classed as rock climbing. Aonach Eagach is an accident hotspot and the site of several fatal tragedies, so it’s not to be taken lightly. But, in good weather, and with the right skills, it’s a Highlands classic.
The common approach is to take on the scramble as a linear route, starting in the east near the Three Sisters and finishing in the west near Glencoe village. In-between you’ll bag the two Munros of Meall Dearg (953m) and Sgorr nam Fiannaidh (967m) – and complete one of the UK’s gnarliest scrambles.
2. Bidean nam Bian and Stob Coire Sgreamhach– 10.6km, 1,383m ascent
"Chief of the Hills" in Gaelic, Bidean nam Bian is the overlord of Glen Coe: a colossal fortress soaring 1,150m above Scotland’s most dramatic valley. With its lower flanks closely guarded by the craggy Three Sisters, Bidean is a hard-won mountain, but the juice is worth the squeeze. The summit views of Aonach Eagach’s barbaric spine are mesmerising, while the descent of the Lost Valley - a hidden, glacier-carved hollow used by 17th century cattle rustlers – is wonderfully romantic.
3. Buachaille Etive Mòr – 13.3km, 1,104m ascent
Perhaps Glen Coe’s most iconic mountain, Buachaille Etive Mòr – known affectionately to many as simply The Buachaille – is a sight to behold. Conical and triangular, with a handsome profile, it is everything a mountain should be: majestic, enduring and uncompromising. From many angles its fearsome buttresses and craggy flanks look too dangerous to hike, but that’s not the case.
From the often-photographed, achingly-pretty mountaineering hut at Lagangarbh, The Buachaille is a tough but non-technical walk via the Coire na Tulaich gully before ticking off the mountain’s two Munros: Stob Dearg (1,022m) and Stob na Broige (956m).
4. Buachaille Etive Beag– 8km, 909m ascent
Like a little brother forever growing up in the shadow of his older brother, Buachaille Etive Beag (the Little Herdsman of Etive in Gaelic) will always play second fiddle to his neighbour Buachaille Etive Mòr(the Big Herdsman).
If it was located anywhere else,Buachaille Etive Beag would be more celebrated and beloved. In that sense, it’s an unlucky mountain. But climbing Beag’s two Munro summits of Stob Dubh (958m) and Stob Coire Raineach (925m) is still an epic hike. The most common route of ascent is a relatively easy 8km out-and-back from the A82.
5. The Pap of Glencoe – 6.9km, 738m ascent
Hiking the Pap of Glencoe is a perfect bite-sized introduction to the delights of Glen Coe. It involves a steep ascent from the village of Glencoe, navigating rocky paths and boggy terrain – but the reward-to-effort ratio is phenomenal.
The route is “easy” by Scotland standards, covering just under 7km with 738m of ascent, and if you’re looking for a half-day walk (or swift evening sunset jaunt) it’s a great option. Located to the west of the famed Aonach Eagach scramble, the Pap of Glencoe (742m) - or Sgorr na Ciche to use its official name – has a wonderfully conical shape, and serves up grandstand views across Loch Leven and Loch Linnhe.
6. Beinn a’Chrulaiste – 10.9km, 687m ascent
“I'd rather live in a cave with a view of a palace, than live in a palace with a view of a cave.” This hilarious Karl Pilkington quote is – in a rather obscure way – relevant to this route. To carry on the analogy, in our hillwalking example, Beinn a’Chrulaiste is the cave, and the mighty Buachaille Etive Mòr is the palace. And the lesson is that, if you’re actually climbing The Buachaille, you’re too close to it to get a good view – you can’t grasp its scale and profile.
But climb Beinn a’Chrulaiste and you have simply the best view for ogling The Buachaille’s iconic shape – you’re in the cave with a view of the palace. Beinn a’Chrulaiste (857m) is a rounded, chunky, somewhat-forgotten Corbett on the north-eastern edge of Glen Coe – but as a viewing platform for The Buachaille, it’s peerless.
7. Sgòr na h-Ulaidh and Beinn Fhionnlaidh – 19km, 1,561m ascent
Sgor na h’Ulaidh (994m) and Beinn Fhionnlaidh (959m) are often considered the overlooked hills of Glen Coe, attracting far fewer visitors than their well-known neighbours. Why? This is due to their location, hidden to the southwest and obscured by the bulky mass of Bidean nam Bian. While access from Glen Coe requires a long walk-in, a more practical approach is to drive down Glen Etive and start from Invercharnan. Although the scenery may be less dramatic than other star-studded Glen Coe peaks, here you will be blessed with a greater sense of tranquillity and escapism.
