Sgairneach Mhor

About Sgairneach Mhor

Rising above the Drumochter Pass, this bulky Munro is often climbed alongside its neighbours, Beinn Udlamain and A’ Mharconaich. While much of the terrain is heathery and rounded, its southern flank drops steeply into Coire Shneachda. It offers a remote-feeling perspective of the Ben Alder forest and the distant Schiehallion.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'Sgairneach Mhòr', which translates as 'Great Scree' or 'Large Stony Place'. This refers to the bouldery debris and broken rock found on its higher slopes, a contrast to the deep peat and heather of the glens below.
• •It is the southernmost of the four Munros located on the western side of the Drumochter Pass. Unlike its more rounded neighbours, its southern face features the impressive Coire Shneachda—the 'Corrie of Snow'—which frequently holds snow patches significantly longer than the surrounding ridges.
• •The summit offers a premier view across the deep, dark trench of Loch Ericht towards the remote Ben Alder massif and the long ridge of Beinn Bheoil.
• •Geographically, the mountain sits on a significant watershed; rainfall on its eastern slopes flows into the River Truim and eventually the Spey, while water on the western side drains into the Tay system and out to the Firth of Tay.
• •Despite being named for its 'Great Scree', most walkers remember the hill less for its stones and more for the 'Great Bog' found at its base when trying to cross the Allt Coire Dhomhain.