Am Bodach
Encyclopedia
Am Bodach is a Scottish
mountain which lies in the Mamores
range, four kilometres north of Kinlochleven
in the Highland council area
.
which reaches a height of 1032 metres (3386 feet) making it the 100th highest mountain in that classification, it is situated on the main ridge of the Mamores in a central position and is the most accessible of the group. The closest approach to the mountain is from Kinlochleven to the south, however the mountain is often approached along its north eastern or eastern ridges as part of the highly rated “Ring of Steall” ridge walk which starts and finishes in Glen Nevis
and climbs the other Munros of An Gearanach
, Stob Coire a' Chàirn
and Sgurr a' Mhàim
. Am Bodach translates from the Gaelic
as “The Old Man”, this name was often given to a conspicuous hill overlooking a community and it was probably named by settlers at the head of Loch Leven
which the mountain overlooks. The mountain should not be confused with another Am Bodach at the eastern end of the Aonach Eagach
ridge in Glen Coe
.
. The track is then left and it is a steep climb north east to the top of Sgurr an Fhurain and then north to the summit of Am Bodach. The view from the top takes in Glen Coe
and Loch Leven, with Bidean nam Bian
looking especially fine.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
mountain which lies in the Mamores
Mamores
The Mamores are a group of mountains in the Lochaber area of the Grampian Mountains in the Scottish Highlands. They form an east-west ridge approximately fifteen kilometres in length lying between Glen Nevis to the north and Loch Leven to the south....
range, four kilometres north of Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven
Kinlochleven is a village in Lochaber, in the Scottish Highlands and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven, a sea loch cutting into the western Scottish Highlands. To the north lie the Mamores ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe...
in the Highland council area
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
.
Overview
Am Bodach is a MunroMunro
A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over . They are named after Sir Hugh Munro, 4th Baronet , who produced the first list of such hills, known as Munros Tables, in 1891. A Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a separate mountain...
which reaches a height of 1032 metres (3386 feet) making it the 100th highest mountain in that classification, it is situated on the main ridge of the Mamores in a central position and is the most accessible of the group. The closest approach to the mountain is from Kinlochleven to the south, however the mountain is often approached along its north eastern or eastern ridges as part of the highly rated “Ring of Steall” ridge walk which starts and finishes in Glen Nevis
Glen Nevis
Glen Nevis is a glen in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, with Fort William at its foot. It is bordered to the south by the Mamore range, and to the north by the highest mountains in the British Isles: Ben Nevis, Càrn Mor Dearg, Aonach Mòr, and Aonach Beag...
and climbs the other Munros of An Gearanach
An Gearanach
An Gearanach is a Scottish mountain situated in the Mamore Forest, five and a half kilometres north of Kinlochleven in the Lochaber region of the Highland council area.- Overview :...
, Stob Coire a' Chàirn
Stob Coire a' Chàirn
Stob Coire a’ Chàirn is a Scottish mountain situated in the Mamores range, 3.5 kilometres north of Kinlochleven. The mountain reaches a height of 981 metres and is regarded as one of the more modest peaks of the ten Munros in the Mamores, indeed for many years it was not named on OS maps...
and Sgurr a' Mhàim
Sgurr a' Mhàim
Sgurr a’ Mhàim is a Scottish mountain situated five and a half kilometres north north-west of Kinlochleven in the Lochaber region of the Highland area.- Overview :...
. Am Bodach translates from the Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
as “The Old Man”, this name was often given to a conspicuous hill overlooking a community and it was probably named by settlers at the head of Loch Leven
Loch Leven (Highlands)
Loch Leven 'is a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland. It is spelled Loch Lyon in Timothy Pont's map of the areaand is pronounced Li' un. There is a Leven in Lennox and another in Glen Lyon similarly pronounced...
which the mountain overlooks. The mountain should not be confused with another Am Bodach at the eastern end of the Aonach Eagach
Aonach Eagach
The Aonach Eagach is a rocky ridge lying to the north of Glen Coe in the Scottish Highlands, boasting two Munro summits.In length the full ridge continues for 10 km from the Pap of Glencoe at the west to the eastern end at the Devil's Staircase. The central section, some 2 km in length,...
ridge in Glen Coe
Glen Coe
Glen Coe is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council, and was formerly part of the county of Argyll. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated...
.
Geography
Am Bodach is a fine looking mountain with a sharp peak formed by its three steep and rocky faces, the eastern face above the Coire na Ba is especially precipitous and craggy and holds patches of snow well into summer. Am Bodach has three ridges radiating from its summit, the western one connects to the former Munro of Sgurr an Iubhair (downgraded to a "Top" in the 1997 revisions) while the north eastern ridge, which is steep and rocky, connects to the Munro of Stob Coire a' Chàirn, it is along these two ridges that walkers undertaking the Ring of Steall walk will arrive and leave the mountain. A third ridge goes southerly over the minor top of Sgurr an Fhurain before descending steeply to Kinlochleven.Ascents
The direct ascent of Am Bodach starts at sea level at Kinlochleven, although it is possible to drive to and park at Mamore Lodge saving 200 metres of ascent, the track goes north west for one kilometre along the old military road to Fort William built by General Caulfield, which now carries the West Highland WayWest Highland Way
The West Highland Way is a linear long distance footpath in Scotland, with the official status of Long Distance Route. It is 154.5km long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the route...
. The track is then left and it is a steep climb north east to the top of Sgurr an Fhurain and then north to the summit of Am Bodach. The view from the top takes in Glen Coe
Glen Coe
Glen Coe is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council, and was formerly part of the county of Argyll. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated...
and Loch Leven, with Bidean nam Bian
Bidean nam Bian
Bidean nam Bian, lying to the south of Glen Coe, Highland, Scotland, is the highest point in the former county of Argyll. It is a complex mountain, with many ridges and subsidiary peaks, one of which, Stob Coire Sgreamhach, is classified as a separate Munro....
looking especially fine.