📌 Laggan, Highland
★★★★
Creag Meagaidh (which translates as the rather unflattering boggy crag) is the highest summit in a sprawling massif slightly adrift of the Monadliath range above Loch Laggan. This circuit also takes in a further pair of less memorable Munro peaks (and several other minor summits) overlooking the north side of the captivating glen cut by the Allt Coire Ardair. The higher terrain is a vast plateau dotted with a few curious, rocky clefts; the contrast with the regenerating forest and burbling burn at glen level couldn’t be greater. But the real highlight of the day has to be Coire Ardair: a sparkling lochan encircled by mighty crags adored by ice climbers in winter and by golden eagles year-round.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Great views over Loch Laggan on the ascent 
Part of the climb to Carn Liath is on a rough, muddy path 
Ascent of Carn Liath 
Early views of Coire Ardair 
Loch Laggan 
Carn Liath summit 
Looking back to Carn Liath from Meall an t-Snaim 
Uinneag Mìn Choire 
View back to Meall an t-Snaim 
Coire Ardair from Sròn Coire a’ Chriochairean 
Ridge to Stob Poite Coire Ardair 
View back along the ridge 
Stob Poite Coire Ardair 
Coire Ardair from Stob Poite Coire Ardair 
Looking down the Allt Coire Ardair from the ascent of Creag Meagaidh 
Looking northwest 
Mad Meg’s Cairn; Creag Meagaidh’s true summit beyond 
Creag Meagaidh summit 
The Window 
Looking back to The Window 
Coire Ardair 
Rapids below Coire Ardair 
Allt Coire Ardair
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Aberarder, Craig Meagaidh NNR, A86 midway along Loch Laggan
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NN 483873
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.951891,-4.495983
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 21 km / 13 mi | ▲ 1080 m | ⌛ 8.5-9.5 hr
Features: 🌳 Creag Meagaidh NNR; △ Carn Liath (1006 m, Munro); △ Meall an t-Snaim (970 m); △ Sròn Coire a’ Chriochairean (993 m); △ Stob Poite Coire Ardair (1054 m, Munro); △ Creag Meagaidh (1128 m, Munro); 🧗 Coire Ardair
⬤ Tough | Excellent path to Aberarder, and from Coire Ardair to the finish. Faint paths for much of the rest of the walk – including the main ascents – but some pathless sections on the plateaus. Steep, loose boulders and scree to descend into Coire Ardair.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit with extension to Creag Meagaidh: start – Aberarder – path junction at 🧭 NN 474883 – Carn Liath – Meall an t-Snaim – Sròn Coire a’ Chriochairean – Stob Pointe Coire Ardair – west entrance to The Window – Creag Meagaidh – return to The Window – lochan in Coire Ardair – Aberarder – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Large slugs, millipedes & small birds in the forest, many bees on the plateau! Fish in Lochan a’ Choire.
Weather: Unbroken sunshine, gentle breeze, temperature into low twenties at base. Snow patches above about 900m.
June 2019
