Ruadh-stac Mòr (Beinn Eighe)

Ruadh-stac Mòr, at 1,010 metres, is the highest summit of Beinn Eighe, the bulkiest of Torridon's three great mountains, standing as a steep-sided dome detached from the main ridge high above Coire Mhic Fhearchair — widely regarded as one of the finest corries in Scotland.

The route starts from the car park near the bridge over the Allt a' Choire Dhuibh Mhòir in Glen Torridon, following a good path north into Coire Dubh Mòr between Liathach and Beinn Eighe. The path contours around the base of Sàil Mhòr before climbing to the shores of Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair, where the mountain's celebrated Triple Buttress comes into full view across the water — one of the great sights of Torridon, and a worthwhile destination in itself. From the loch, the path climbs over rocky terraces before ascending a very steep, loose scree slope to reach the bealach at around 868 metres. From here, a comparatively gentle grassy ridge leads north to the summit of Ruadh-stac Mòr, an outstanding viewpoint with Coigach visible to the north and Slioch to the north-east.

Most walkers retrace their steps to the bealach and continue south over Coinneach Mòr to take in Beinn Eighe's second Munro, Spidean Coire nan Clach, rather than treating Ruadh-stac Mòr as a there-and-back objective on its own.

The round trip taking in both Munros via Coire Mhic Fhearchair is around 19 kilometres with 1,300 metres of ascent, typically eight to nine hours.

The scree slope above Coire Mhic Fhearchair is notoriously steep and loose in both directions and demands real care, particularly given tired legs later in the day; the wreckage of a Lancaster bomber that crashed here in the 1950s can still be seen near the loch, a stark reminder of how quickly weather can close in on this exposed range.

Parking at the Glen Torridon car park is free; buses between Torridon and Kinlochewe are infrequent.