Stob Coire Altruim

About Stob Coire Altruim

Part of the iconic Buachaille Etive Mòr ridge, this high Munro Top serves as a crucial hinge between the mountain's grand summits. Reached via the steep Coire Altruim path, it offers a rugged, rocky sanctuary with expansive views down Glen Etive before the final push toward Stob na Bròige.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is Gaelic for 'Peak of the Corrie of Nurturing.' This likely refers to the sheltered grazing found in the corrie below, which offered sanctuary for livestock against the harsh conditions found on the higher, exposed plateaus of the 'Great Herdsman'.
• •For many walkers, this peak is the primary gateway to the ridge; the path through Coire Altruim from the Lairig Gartain is the standard route for those wishing to bag the southern Munros without tackling the technical scrambles of the mountain's north-eastern face.
• •The summit offers a peerless perspective of the 'Bookil's' smaller sibling, Buachaille Etive Beag, and a direct line of sight down the dramatic U-shaped trough of Glen Etive towards the distant waters of Loch Etive.
• •Despite its impressive height of 938 metres, it remains classified as a Munro Top rather than a full Munro, as it lacks the required topographical prominence from its higher neighbour, Stob na Bròige.
• •The ascent through its namesake corrie features a stone staircase so relentlessly steep that reaching the summit cairn is often celebrated more for the cessation of upward leg-burn than for the actual geographical achievement.