The Rannoch Moor Mountains

The Black Mount This mountain group is the furthest east and includes Criese and Meall a' Bhuiridh. It's not in Glen Coe but it does have good views of those peaks. Meall a' Bhuiridh is scarred by skiing developments on its northern slopes but a good alternative route is to start from Ba Cottage in the east. This avoids all the skiing developments right up to the very summit. These slopes are quite easy and are said to be quiet. Once on the top the view suddenly opens up to the Creise - Clachet plateaux. The way ahead is along a shapely stony ridge before the final scrambly pull up to the plateaux.

Meall a' Bhuiridh seen from The Creise - Clachet Plateaux 	The Bridge of Orchy Hills and Rannoch Moor seen from the summit of Meall a' Bhuiridh 	The Black Mount seen from across Glen Etive

Another worthy though potentially scary route is the Sron na Creise - a steep ridge that leads up to the plateaux of Creise from the river Etive - a long sustained scramble with long long drops evident higher up. The editor hasn't taken this route but his guidebook rates it as a grade 3 scramble.

The map shows Creise as being the highest summit between Creise and Clachet by 1m - but the editor has noted that Clachet appears higher when viewed from Creise and Creise appears lower when viewed from Clachet. If you are conscious of the munro status of Creise changing later on, then you may want to 'bag' both summits. As a note for everyone else, the views from either summit reveal views that are quite different - often you can seen the Knoydart Mountains from here.

Buchaille Etive Mor

This is one of the classic peaks that many of you are likely to have seen. Many people associate it with Glen Coe but strictly speaking GLen Coe doesn't drain this mountain - Glen Etive does so entirely.

It's ridge to the south western summit is very graceful going over the pointy summit of Stob na Doire to the end summit of Stob na Broige. The ridge is nowhere a scramble but is still a bit narrow in places particularly the final section before Stob an Broige. The main peak itself provides extensive views over Rannoch Moor and is fringed on the north by some HUGE cliffs that make it a classic climbers playground. These cliffs provide the fine scramble of the Curved ridge rated at grade 2/3 - probably the finest scramble among these hills though the editor hasn't done it.

The normal way up is via Coire na Tulaich but this gets steep near the top. An alternative and less steep route would take the ridge to the west of Coire na Tulaich - an advisable route to take when avalanche risk is getting quite high. An easier way (though still mindful of avalanche risk) is the north facing corrie of Coire Altruim that can be reached from the Lairig Gartain.

Beinn a' Chrulaiste

For those wanting an easy morning/afternoon walk, this summit on the north side of the Glen Coe road is worth doing - it can be done in a leisurely round trip of three hours and offer stunning views of the other Glen Coe summits as well as the Mamores, Ben Alder, the Blackwater reservoir. But it's Buchaille Etive Mor that is the most striking looking summit.