Carn Mor Dearg

Often overshadowed by its massive neighbor, this graceful Munro offers the finest approach to Ben Nevis via the celebrated Carn Mor Dearg Arête. A high, stony ridge with spectacular, close-up views of the Ben’s North Face precipices, it provides a far more alpine and rewarding experience than the standard mountain track.

• •The name translates from Scottish Gaelic as 'the big red cairn.' This refers to the pinkish-red granite boulders that cover the upper slopes and summit, which can take on a distinct, warm glow in the evening light.
• •It is most famous for the Carn Mor Dearg Arête, a sweeping, crescent-shaped ridge that connects the summit to Ben Nevis. While narrowed and rocky, it is considered one of the finest Grade 1 scrambles in the Highlands, offering a true alpine feel without extreme technical difficulty.
• •The summit offers arguably the most dramatic perspective in British hillwalking: a direct, head-on view of the 700-metre cliffs of Ben Nevis’s North Face. From here, you can clearly trace the classic lines of the Douglas Boulder, Castle Ridge, and the famous ice-climbing route of Point Five Gully.
• •Standing at 1,220 metres, it is the ninth-highest mountain in Scotland and belongs to the select group of only nine Scottish peaks that exceed the 4,000-foot mark.
• •It is arguably the most ignored 'Top Ten' peak in the country; the vast majority of those who reach its summit spend their time staring intently at the busier neighbor next door rather than the hill they are actually standing on.