A few years ago, I visited Glencoe and enjoyed what can only be described as untypical sunshine throughout the Friday and Saturday of my visit. On that Sunday, the Glencoe Skyline Race was to take place, but by then, I had fled the scene. As an avid bimbler, I have little understanding of what it must be like to run these routes even in the best conditions.

Of all the glens in Scotland, Glencoe must surely be the most dramatic, historic and emotive, with a number of outstanding Munros. And only a stone's throw from the train station at Fort William.

Bidean nam Bian Group

• Bidean nam Bian (1150m)

• Stob Coire Sgreamhach (1070m)

These two Munros are part of the same massif, with Bidean nam Bian being the highest peak in the former county of Argyll

Buachaille Etive Mòr

• Stob Dearg (1022m)

• Stob na Bròige (956m)

Buachaille Etive Mòr, meaning "the great herdsman of Etive," is one of the most photographed mountains in Scotland, forming an iconic gateway to Glencoe

Buachaille Etive Beag

• Stob Dubh (958m)

• Stob Coire Raineach (925m)

Often referred to as the "little brother" of Buachaille Etive Mòr, this ridge offers two Munros that are considered among the easier ones in Glencoe

Aonach Eagach Ridge

• Meall Dearg (953m)

• Sgorr nam Fiannaidh (967m)

The Aonach Eagach is a famous ridge walk, known for its challenging and exposed scrambling sections

Additional Munro

• Sgùrr na h-Ulaidh (994m)

This Munro is sometimes included in the Glencoe list, located slightly outside the main Glencoe area

I strolled up Bidean nam Bian (1150m) to take this photograph of Glen Etive, an atmospheric glen wherein can be found the bothy that inspired our recent podcast guest Kat Hill to write her book, Bothy. This glen is now famously immortalised in the James Bond film Skyfall. More a massif than a mountain, Bidean is a complicated piece of business that includes the Three Sisters – the trio of buttresses that tower over the A82 where many a car advert has been shot. Between two of these buttresses can be found the Lost Valley, where Clansmen are said to have hidden stolen cattle.

Despite its complexity, Bidean is not the most dangerous part of the Skyline course, which also includes ascending Buachaille Etive Mor’s eastern face via Curved Ridge (Grade III scramble) and, later, what is often described as the UK’s hardest mainland ridge scramble – the Aonach Eagach – from west to east.

Glencoe's Skyline of Munros

I walked the Aonach, which is just one Munro, with friends from east to west one year (the sensible way to do it because you set off higher up), and it took us no less than 8 hours, which admittedly is at the high end of published estimates.

To put that in perspective, Norwegian Erik Johannes Husom won the men's Glencoe Skyline Race across all 8 Munros that year in under 8 hours, coming in at 7:55:00. The Glencoe Skyline Race is 52km long and includes 4750 metres of ascent—that’s over five Munros bottom to top.

I'd definitely need a pint after that..

Glencoe's Famous Hostelries

1. The Clachaig Inn

Located at the heart of Glencoe, The Clachaig Inn is perhaps the most famous climber’s pub in the area. It has a long-standing reputation as a hub for mountaineers and outdoor adventurers. The pub offers a cosy, rustic atmosphere with great food, a range of local ales, and regular live music. It’s also well-known for its “Boot Bar,” where muddy boots and climbing gear are welcome, making it a perfect post-adventure spot. The Clachaig Inn has been a key part of the local climbing culture for decades.

2. The Kingshouse Hotel

Situated further up the glen, The Kingshouse Hotel is another favourite with climbers, especially due to its proximity to Buachaille Etive Mòr. The hotel has been a welcoming spot for travellers and mountaineers for centuries and has recently been renovated. It offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains, a relaxing bar, and a more modern take on Highland hospitality. The Kingshouse is popular with both climbers and hikers tackling routes in the area, particularly those on the West Highland Way.

London Connection: Sir Hugh Munro

The Munros often feature in our films, and munro-baggers are often surprised to hear that the man who compiled the original list of Scottish Munros was, in fact, English by birth, born in 1856 in London. He was subsequently brought up in Scotland on the family estate of Lindertis near Kirriemuir in Angus and was a founding member of the Scottish Mountaineering Club.

His list of Scottish mountains over 3000 feet has been tweaked over the years and currently numbers 282. There are many more peaks and tops over 3000 feet in Scotland, but Sir Hugh deemed these insufficiently discrete from linked Munros of greater height. His story is currently a film project for mountaineer Kevin Woods.

#LondonMountainFilmFestival #ScottishMunros #Munrobagging