Munro · Glen Coe & Lochaber
An Gearanach
An Gearanach (982m) — "the complainer" — is the northernmost Munro of the Ring of Steall in the Mamores, sitting at the eastern edge of one of the great Mamores horseshoes above Glen Nevis. The hill is famous for the airy "An Garbhanach" ridge that connects it south to Stob Coire a' Chairn — a Grade 1 scramble on a narrow rocky crest. An Gearanach itself rises directly above the spectacular Steall Falls and Steall Meadows.
Quick facts
- Height
- 981.5m/ 3220ft
- Prominence
- 152 m
- Distance
- 17 km
- Ascent
- 864 m
- Time
- 5–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NN187669
- Parking
- NN168691
- Nearest city
- Fort William· 11km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).
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Standard route
Path through gorge 20% · Steep pathless hillside 35% · Narrow ridge 45%
The standard line is the Ring of Steall horseshoe out of Glen Nevis at Polldubh. Cross the wire footbridge over the Nevis, walk through the Steall gorge to the meadows, then climb An Gearanach's east ridge directly. The crest south over An Garbhanach to Stob Coire a' Chairn provides the technical interest — Grade 1 scrambling on a narrow rocky arête. Continue west via Am Bodach and the Devil's Ridge across to Sgurr a' Mhaim. Roughly 16km with 1500m of ascent for the full four-Munro circuit.
Terrain
The Steall gorge path is rough wet rocky ground — slippery on the slabby sections. The Polldubh wire footbridge is well-maintained but slippery in spate. The east ridge climb out of Steall meadows is sustained steep grass with one short rocky step. The An Gearanach summit ridge is narrow turf and broken rock. The An Garbhanach connecting ridge south is the technical highlight — Grade 1 scrambling on a narrow rocky crest with sustained exposure.
In winter
A serious Mamores winter day. The Garbhanach connecting ridge becomes a Grade I/II winter scramble with continuous cornicing. The east ridge of An Gearanach holds wind-loaded snow after westerly storms. The Steall gorge path can be treacherous when iced. The Polldubh wire bridge can be unstable in spate. SAIS Lochaber applies; phone signal absent above 700m.
This hill is in the Glen Coe SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow2h 19m
- Edinburgh3h 1m
OS maps: OS Landranger 41
Mobile signal: Barely anything above 700m anywhere on the Ring of Steall circuit. Steall car park has patchy coverage. The ridge is too narrow and exposed to consult a phone — have your route planned offline.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:03
- Sunset
- 21:50
- Civil dawn
- 04:08
- Civil dusk
- 22:45
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from An Gearanach.
Around An Gearanach on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Fort William station
Ben Nevis, Mamores, Aonachs, Knoydart ferry connection
11km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Fort William
Ben Nevis base, West Highland Line, gateway to Lochaber
11km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TasteSCOTAfter the hill: Ben Nevis Distillery
Fort William — Lochaber distillery at the foot of the Ben; long-aged Japanese-owned classics
11km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
An Gearanach — common questions
- What difficulty is An Gearanach?
- On the OutdoorSCOT scale, An Gearanach comes in at 4/5 — challenging. Expect roughly 17km and 864m of ascent on the usual route — 5-8 hours for most parties. Terrain: The Steall gorge path is rough wet rocky ground — slippery on the slabby sections.
- How prominent is An Gearanach?
- An Gearanach has 152m of topographic prominence — the height of its summit above the highest col connecting it to higher ground.
- Where should I park to climb An Gearanach?
- Standard parking is at NN168691. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.
- When should I climb An Gearanach?
- The standard good-weather months for An Gearanach are May, June, July, August, September, October. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.
- Can I bring my dog up An Gearanach?
- On a lead only — the route crosses ground with livestock or nesting-bird interest.
- What's mobile reception like on An Gearanach?
- Barely anything above 700m anywhere on the Ring of Steall circuit. Steall car park has patchy coverage. The ridge is too narrow and exposed to consult a phone — have your route planned offline.
- Is An Gearanach safe in winter?
- A serious Mamores winter day. The Garbhanach connecting ridge becomes a Grade I/II winter scramble with continuous cornicing. The east ridge of An Gearanach holds wind-loaded snow after westerly storms. The Steall gorge path can be treacherous when iced. The Polldubh wire bridge can be unstable in spate. SAIS Lochaber applies; phone signal absent above 700m.
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