Carn Dearg (SW) [Carn Dearg (South)]

About Carn Dearg (SW) [Carn Dearg (South)]

Standing as a significant southwestern shoulder of Ben Nevis, this high, stony plateau offers a dramatic vantage point over the depths of Glen Nevis. While often bypassed by those on the main mountain track, it provides a quieter perspective of the Mamores and the great southern precipices of the UK’s highest peak.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is Gaelic for 'Red Cairn', a common descriptor in Lochaber referring to the colour of the granite and scree, which takes on a warm, rusted hue in the evening light.
• •Though it stands at 1,020m, many walkers unknowingly pass within 200 metres of its summit while following the zig-zags of the Ben Nevis Mountain Track between the Red Burn and the upper plateau.
• •The summit offers a unique profile view of the Coire Eòghainn cliffs and a clear, uninterrupted line of sight down the length of Glen Nevis toward the peaks of Ardgour.
• •As a Munro Top, it is a subsidiary peak of Ben Nevis; despite being significantly taller than many independent Munros, it lacks the topographic prominence to be classified as its own mountain.
• •It is perhaps the most frequently ignored 1,000-metre peak in Scotland, serving primarily as a scenic backdrop for walkers pausing to catch their breath while heading for the main summit next door.