Scotland
Sgor Choinnich
929M
3047FT
About Sgor Choinnich
Tucked away in the high heart of the Grey Corries, this Munro Top offers a rugged, quartzite-shattered experience. It occupies a dramatic position on the narrow ridge between Sgùrr Choinnich Mòr and Stob Coire an Laoigh, requiring a steady foot on the pale, rocky scree that defines this spectacular Lochaber range.
Key Statistics
Rank
67th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Lochaber
Prominence
?
126.3m
Nearest Town
Rannoch Station
Geology
You are walking on crystalline rock from the Strath Ossian Granitic Complex. This foundation formed deep underground as molten magma slowly cooled and hardened.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NN443683
Latitude
56.7802°N
Longitude
4.5499°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Sgùrr Choinnich', which most commonly translates as 'Kenneth’s Peak', though some scholars suggest 'Mossy Peak'. Given the barren, rocky nature of the Grey Corries ridge, the former is perhaps more likely than a botanical description.
- •The hill is composed of Binnein Quartzite, a rock that gives the range its name. From a distance, the pale, shattered stone can appear as a permanent dusting of snow, even in the height of summer.
- •A traverse of this summit is a staple of the classic Grey Corries ridge walk, providing a magnificent vantage point to see the massive North Face of Ben Nevis and the steep eastern flanks of Aonach Beag across the deep glen.
- •Negotiating the shifting quartzite scree on the approach is a notorious test of both ankles and patience; the 'grey' in the name refers to the rock, but it could just as easily describe the colour of your boots after a day of sliding through its fine, abrasive dust.