Stob Bàn (Mamores)
Encyclopedia
Stob Bàn is a Scottish
mountain situated at the western end of the Mamores
ridge, five and a half kilometres north-west of Kinlochleven
. With a height of 999 metres (3,278 feet) it qualifies as a Munro
. Stob Bàn is a distinctive sight when viewed from lower Glen Nevis
with its sharp peak and capping of white quartzite
rocks which are often mistaken for snow; its Gaelic
name translates as White Peak or Light Coloured Peak.
Stob Bàn exhibits striking examples of Dalradian
rock geology and has been identified by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee
(JNCC) as an important site in its Geological Conservation Review
. Dalradian rocks were characteristically formed in the high ground to the east and south of the Great Glen
of Scotland. Dairadia was the name for this ancient Celtic region. The mountain should not confused with another Stob Bàn
, also a Munro which is located in the Grey Corries above Spean Bridge
.
Stob Bàn has three main ridges: the east ridge connects to the former Munro of Sgor an Iubhair via the top of the Coire a' Mhusgain (Corrie of the Shellfish), the western ridge links to the adjoining Munro of Mullach nan Coirean
while the northern ridge drops steeply to Glen Nevis over a series of terraced rocky outcrops. There is a less significant fourth ridge which gives a steep descent south west to the West Highland Way
en route from Kinlochleven
to Fort William and is quick way off the mountain for walkers who have approached from the south. Stob Bàn can be climbed as part of the Highland High Way, a high level alternative of the West Highland Way, walkers often do the final day between Kinlochleven and Fort William over some of the Mamores peaks if the weather is fine.
Stob Bàn’s most striking physical characteristic are its crags on the north eastern face; these fall precipitously to Coire a' Mhusgain over 400 metres below and contribute greatly to the mountain’s classic pyramidal shape. The buttresses on the northern ridge of the mountain attract winter ice climbers
. South Buttress has several good winter gully climbs, Central Buttress features three gully lines, a rocky rib and an arete all giving good winter climbs on broken rock.
Stob Bàn is usually climbed from Glen Nevis to the north; direct ascents start at Achriabhach and take the stalkers path which ascends Coire a' Mhusgain to reach the col between Stob Bàn and Sgor an Iubhair before climbing steeply up the eastern ridge to the summit. From the same starting point it is also possible to ascend the rough and undulating north ridge; on this route there is a significant false top at a height of 900 metres which is often mistaken for the summit. Stob Bàn is also quite often climbed in conjunction with the neighbouring Munro of Mullach nan Coirean which lies three kilometres to the west. The view from the summit takes in fine views of Ben Nevis
and the Aonachs
.
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 situated at the western end of 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....
ridge, five and a half kilometres north-west 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...
. With a height of 999 metres (3,278 feet) it qualifies as a Munro
Munro
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...
. Stob Bàn is a distinctive sight when viewed from lower 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...
with its sharp peak and capping of white quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
rocks which are often mistaken for snow; its 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....
name translates as White Peak or Light Coloured Peak.
Stob Bàn exhibits striking examples of Dalradian
Dalradian
Dalradian in geology describes a series of metamorphic rocks, typically developed in the high ground which lies southeast of the Great Glen of Scotland...
rock geology and has been identified by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Joint Nature Conservation Committee
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee is the statutory adviser to the UK Government on national and international nature conservation. Its work contributes to maintaining and enriching biological diversity, conserving geological features and sustaining natural systems...
(JNCC) as an important site in its Geological Conservation Review
Geological Conservation Review
The Geological Conservation Review is produced by the UK's Joint Nature Conservation Committee and is designed to identify those sites of national and international importance needed to show all the key scientific elements of the geological and geomorphological features of Britain...
. Dalradian rocks were characteristically formed in the high ground to the east and south of the Great Glen
Great Glen
The Great Glen , also known as Glen Albyn or Glen More is a series of glens in Scotland running 100 kilometres from Inverness on the Moray Firth, to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe.The Great Glen follows a large geological fault known as the Great Glen Fault...
of Scotland. Dairadia was the name for this ancient Celtic region. The mountain should not confused with another Stob Bàn
Stob Bàn (Grey Corries)
Stob Bàn is a mountain situated in the Lochaber region of Highland, Scotland, 16 kilometres east of Fort William. It reaches a height of 977 metres and lies in a group of hills known as the Grey Corries which includes three other Munros and nine Munro "Tops" along an eight kilometre ridge...
, also a Munro which is located in the Grey Corries above Spean Bridge
Spean Bridge
Spean Bridge is a village, in the Highland region of Scotland.The village takes its name from the Highbridge over the River Spean on General Wade's military road between Fort William and Fort Augustus, and not from Telford's bridge of 1819 which carries the A82 over the river at the heart of the...
.
Stob Bàn has three main ridges: the east ridge connects to the former Munro of Sgor an Iubhair via the top of the Coire a' Mhusgain (Corrie of the Shellfish), the western ridge links to the adjoining Munro of Mullach nan Coirean
Mullach nan Coirean
Mullach nan Coirean is a Scottish mountain situated in the Mamores group of hills. It reaches a height of 939 metres and is located eight kilometres north-west of Kinlochleven...
while the northern ridge drops steeply to Glen Nevis over a series of terraced rocky outcrops. There is a less significant fourth ridge which gives a steep descent south west to the West Highland Way
West 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...
en route from 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...
to Fort William and is quick way off the mountain for walkers who have approached from the south. Stob Bàn can be climbed as part of the Highland High Way, a high level alternative of the West Highland Way, walkers often do the final day between Kinlochleven and Fort William over some of the Mamores peaks if the weather is fine.
Stob Bàn’s most striking physical characteristic are its crags on the north eastern face; these fall precipitously to Coire a' Mhusgain over 400 metres below and contribute greatly to the mountain’s classic pyramidal shape. The buttresses on the northern ridge of the mountain attract winter ice climbers
Ice climbing
Ice climbing, as the term indicates, is the activity of ascending inclined ice formations. Usually, ice climbing refers to roped and protected climbing of features such as icefalls, frozen waterfalls, and cliffs and rock slabs covered with ice refrozen from flows of water. For the purposes of...
. South Buttress has several good winter gully climbs, Central Buttress features three gully lines, a rocky rib and an arete all giving good winter climbs on broken rock.
Stob Bàn is usually climbed from Glen Nevis to the north; direct ascents start at Achriabhach and take the stalkers path which ascends Coire a' Mhusgain to reach the col between Stob Bàn and Sgor an Iubhair before climbing steeply up the eastern ridge to the summit. From the same starting point it is also possible to ascend the rough and undulating north ridge; on this route there is a significant false top at a height of 900 metres which is often mistaken for the summit. Stob Bàn is also quite often climbed in conjunction with the neighbouring Munro of Mullach nan Coirean which lies three kilometres to the west. The view from the summit takes in fine views of Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
and the Aonachs
Aonach Mòr
Aonach Mòr is a mountain in the Highlands of Scotland. It is located about 2 miles/ 3 km north east of Ben Nevis on the south side of Glen Spean, near the town of Fort William...
.