Geal-charn

Rising as a vast, high-altitude sanctuary within the remote Ben Alder forest, this Munro is defined by an immense, stony summit plateau. While its western approaches are deceptively gentle, the eastern edge plunges into the dark crags of Coire Chàis, providing a dramatic lookout over the surrounding Lochaber wilderness.

• •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic for 'White Cairn', a reference to the pale quartzite stones that litter the summit or perhaps the hill's habit of retaining snow cover well into the summer months.
• •The summit plateau is one of the highest and most expansive in Scotland; in poor visibility, the lack of features makes it a notorious test of navigation, especially when trying to avoid the steep drops into the eastern corries.
• •It is most frequently climbed as part of a long day-trip involving four Munros—including Beinn Eibhinn and Aonach Beag—starting from the remote track along Loch Ericht, which usually necessitates a mountain bike for the approach.
• •From the cairn, the view is dominated by the massive neighbouring bulk of Ben Alder to the south-east, while the sharp, notched ridges of the Grey Corries are clearly visible to the west across the Lochaber expanse.
• •The top is so relentlessly flat that you can walk for nearly a kilometre without gaining or losing more than a few metres of height, making the actual summit feel more like a mathematical abstraction than a mountain peak.