Bidean nam Bian

Bidean nam Bian is the highest mountain in Argyll and one of the finest in all the Highlands. It is not a single peak, but a compact group of six or seven peaks linked by narrow ridges and enclosing deep corries. Stob Coire Sgreamhach is one of the most distinctive of the satellites of Bidean, a pointed peak rising at the junction of the long Beinn Fhada ridge and the main spine of the massif near its south-east corner.

An excellent traverse starts at Loch Achtriochtan and goes up the path into Coire nam Beithach. At the point where the path divides, keep on south-west up the corrie on the west side of the great cone of Stob Coire nam Beith and climb steeply to reach the ridge. Turn left to Stob Coire nam Beith and continue without much of a drop to Bidean nam Bian. The route to Stob Coire Sgreamhach goes down the south-east ridge to the col at the head of Coire Gabhail and up a short distance to its summit.

The easiest descent is by Coire Gabhail, better known as The Lost Valley. Return to the col at the head of this corrie and go down steep scree and then a path on the west side of the corrie to the flat meadow lower down. The path disappears in a jumble of boulders beyond the meadow, but reappears and continues down the west side of the stream to cross the River Coe by a footbridge.

(Copyright The Scottish Mountaineering Club)