Stob Poite Coire Àrdair

Stob Poite Coire Àrdair, at 1,053-1,054 metres, is the second Munro of the Creag Meagaidh horseshoe, its summit sitting on a broad, flat ridge above the towering cliffs of Coire Àrdair, one of Scotland's finest ice-climbing arenas.

Reached from Càrn Liath via the narrowing ridge over Sròn Coire a' Chrìochairein, the route curves round the rim of the corrie with steep drops to the left and increasingly stunning views before continuing west along the flat summit ridge to the cairn. From here, the path descends south-south-west, initially hugging a line of old fence posts — a genuine winter hazard, since in mist walkers can be tempted to follow the posts too far, only for them to end abruptly above a 20-metre drop. The correct route follows the path down to 'The Window', the bealach between this ridge and Creag Meagaidh itself, set well back from Coire Àrdair with no view down to the lochan below.

From The Window, the path climbs the far side onto the vast plateau of Creag Meagaidh, passing the huge, ancient-looking Mad Meg's Cairn — reputedly the burial spot of an 18th-century suicide denied a grave in the local cemetery, and easily mistaken for the true summit in mist — before continuing west to Creag Meagaidh's actual cairn, the highest point of the massif.

The full horseshoe taking in all three Munros from Aberarder is around 21 kilometres with roughly 1,080-1,650 metres of ascent, typically eight to ten hours.

The summit plateau and connecting ridges here can be genuinely difficult to navigate in poor visibility, with real precipices nearby — the fence-post trap near the descent to The Window is a well-documented hazard, and full navigation skills are essential throughout this exposed, high-level circuit.

The Aberarder car park is chargeable (card only); there is no public transport to the start.