North Laggan
Loch Laggan lies in Glen Spean and is the only glen as said before to have a public road for this page. The Glen itself is heavily forested but nonetheless, the mountains lie bare. The northern group of mountains all have east facing craggy faces the further east you go, the more spectacular these become. None of the northern summits are remote - typically summits are no more than 6km away from the road.

Beinn Teallach
The westernmost summit is Beinn Teallach. It is separated from the next summit to the east, Beinn a' Chaorainn, by a bealach at ~650m. The easiest approach to Beinn Teallach is up to the bealach via a glen along a muddy path before tacking the broad north eastern ridge to the summit. The southern slopes are quite easy but very bland and uniform - not exciting at all. At least the former route gives good views of the crags above.

Beinn a' Chaorainn and Laggan shores seen from Bennein shuas

Beinn Teallach seen from the south ridge of Beinn a' Chaorainn

Beinn a' Chaorainn seen from its south ridge

Beinn a' Chaorainn
The next summit along, Beinn a' Chaorainn has a wonderful eastern corrie that split in two by a narrow scrambly ridge (rated at grade 1). This ridge is probably the best way up though I've never taken it. The summit ridge is slightly kinked - insignificant on the map but in white out some people have died up here because they followed a compass bearing joining up the central and north peaks - taking them right into the cliffs. This summit can be climbed with Beinn Teallach in the same walk - indeed all the northern summits make one excellent long summers walk.

Beinn a' Chaorainn's southern ridge is the quickest route up from the road. The ridge is broad, and to start with there is a path following the side of the ridge. Upon reaching it's crest, the path becomes faint, and is easily lost. The way up the ridge can be seen for most of it's way up, but near the summit, it becomes convex and progress is best measaured against the height of neighbouring Beinn Teallach.

Creag Meagaidh
Creag Meagaidh is the most complex mountain with ridges radiating out in all directions. Crags line many sides of the summit plateau though the most impressive is in Coire Ardair - a strong competitor with Ben Nevis for having the largest crag face - 400m high! It goes without saying that it's a serious place in a white out - I was up here in a white out. One particular note is the presence of two massive cairns near the summit. The eastern cairn isn't the summit - isn't on some maps either and it's presence got me very confused in my little whiteout - you've been warned!

The Vast Plateau of Creag Meagaidh

A close up of Meagaidh's eastern face

Meagaidh's east face of Coire Ardhair

There are two other munros on the Creag Meagaidh massif, on the northern arm of arm enclosing Coire Ardhair. They're about 100m lower than Creag Meagaidh itself but much easier to navigate on. These summits are often clear of cloud when the plateau is wreathed in mist, and both of these tops give excellent views of the Coire Ardhair cliffs. All the summits so far mentioned command very desolate views to the north where the empty wilderness of the Monadliath lies.

Puist Coire Ardhair - southern arm of Coire Ardhair

Carn Liath - the eastern most munro in the Meagaidh Group

Creag Pitridh seen from Beinn a' Chlachair

Ardverekie
South of Loch Laggan lies the remote Ardverekie. Here lie three munros, all set back from the road and requiring a 6km walk in to saddle separating these hills. The smaller hill of Binnien Shuas sits in between the A85 and this group of hills. The two bigger summits are fairly rounded but the smaller summit, Creag Pitridh is relatively pointy and rocky. It also requires a very small ascent from the bealach to it's bigger neighbour. Geal Charn is the eastern summit at 1049m and has very broad slopes. The walk into these hills is assissted by a good landrovers track heading in as far as Lochan na Hearba and then a well constructed stalkers path takes you up to the saddle point between Beinn a' Chlachair and Geal Charn.

Beinn a' Chlachair
This is the best mountain in Ardvereckie. It's main merit is a perfect scooped out corrie seen on the northern approach - cliffs on the south side also guard the summit plateau while the summit commands some excellent views south across An Lairig to the Ben Alder Forest. It's ascent is straightforward from the saddle, though without any path. Once on the plateau, the terrain is a mixture of grass and stony fields. Navigation is straightforward in snowless conditions, though the presense of cliffs would warrant caution during a whiteout.

Geal Charn, Ardverekie, not the most photogenic munro, seen from Binnean Shuas

Beinn a' Chlachair, nice northern corrie seem from Binnein Shuas

Beinn a' Chlachair seen from the south

Binneins Shuas and Shios
One other group of summits nearer to the road are Binneins Shuas (746m) and Shios (667m). These two summits sit between Loch Laggan and Lochan na H Earba. They give great views of the Ardverkie munros and also out west to the Loch Treig summits. Both summits are quite rounded with shuas having lots of crags - one including a classic rock climb. Shuas will be a good test of navigation in mist and finding the way off the east end is a challenge even in good weather.

Binnein Shios seen from Bennein Shuas

Binnein Shuas seen from the road