Munro · Glen Coe & Lochaber
Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach
Stob Coire Raineach (925m) — "peak of the corrie of ferns" — is the smaller, northern Munro of the Buachaille Etive Beag — the "Little Herdsman" of Glencoe. It is the more accessible of the pair, a sharp pyramidal summit at the north end of the narrow Bidean ridge with classic views down Glen Coe to the Three Sisters. Almost always traversed with Stob Dubh on a single day from the Lairig Gartain.
Gaelic: “small, pointed peak, corrie” · Pronunciation: buachaille etive bek stob kor-a raineach
Quick facts
- Height
- 924.5m/ 3033ft
- Prominence
- 178 m
- Distance
- 16 km
- Ascent
- 814 m
- Time
- 5–8 hrs
- Grid ref
- NN191547
- Parking
- NN188563
- Nearest city
- Fort William· 21km
- 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
Lairig Gartain path 30% · Open hillside 35% · Ridge walk 35%
Park at the Lairig Gartain lay-by on the A82 between the Coupall bridge and Altnafeadh. Take the steep restored path south-west into the Lairig Gartain pass to its top, then climb directly north up scree and grass to the small summit cairn. Most parties continue south over the connecting bealach to Stob Dubh. Around 8km return with 810m of ascent for the pair.
Terrain
The Lairig Gartain path has been substantially restored in recent years and gives fast easy walking to the bealach. Above the pass, the climb to Stob Coire Raineach is steep loose scree on rhyolite — slippery in the wet. The summit is a small rocky platform with a cairn and impressive drops on the eastern side.
In winter
A serious Glencoe winter day on a small mountain. The corrie above the Lairig Gartain holds substantial wind-loaded slab and the steep ascent to Raineach can be avalanche-prone. SAIS Glencoe forecasts cover the hill. Cornices form along the connecting ridge to Stob Dubh. The A82 is a snow-gate route but rarely fully closed.
This hill is in the Glen Coe SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow2h 5m
- Edinburgh3h 50m
OS maps: OS Landranger 41
Mobile signal: Dead above 700m. The A82 layby at Lairig Gartain has occasional 4G. Save maps before leaving the car.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:03
- Sunset
- 21:49
- Civil dawn
- 04:09
- Civil dusk
- 22:44
NOAA Solar Calculator · 23 July 2026
Pair with
Curated multi-hill combinations from Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach.
On a long-distance route
Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach sits within 5km of these named long-distance walks — useful for trail-pack rest days or section extensions.
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Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Getting there: Bridge of Orchy station
Black Mount; Beinn Dorain, Beinn an Dothaidh, Beinn Achaladair, Beinn a Chreachain
18km from the hill
tripscot.co.uk
On TripSCOTBase yourself in Fort William
Ben Nevis base, West Highland Line, gateway to Lochaber
21km 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
22km from the hill
tastescot.co.uk
Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach — common questions
- What difficulty is Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach?
- On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach comes in at 4/5 — challenging. Expect roughly 16km and 814m of ascent on the usual route — 5-8 hours for most parties. Underfoot: The Lairig Gartain path has been substantially restored in recent years and gives fast easy walking to the bealach.
- What is Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach's prominence?
- 178m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach to the next higher ground.
- Where do I park for Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach?
- Most walkers start from NN188563. Verify the grid reference on an OS map before you set off — space is tight on busy summer weekends.
- When is the best time to climb Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach?
- May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
- Is Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach dog-friendly?
- Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
- Is there mobile signal on Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach?
- Dead above 700m. The A82 layby at Lairig Gartain has occasional 4G. Save maps before leaving the car.
- Is Buachaille Etive Beag - Stob Coire Raineach safe in winter?
- A serious Glencoe winter day on a small mountain. The corrie above the Lairig Gartain holds substantial wind-loaded slab and the steep ascent to Raineach can be avalanche-prone. SAIS Glencoe forecasts cover the hill. Cornices form along the connecting ridge to Stob Dubh. The A82 is a snow-gate route but rarely fully closed.
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