Binnein Mòr

Binnein Mòr, at 1,130 metres, is the highest summit of the magnificent Mamores range above Kinlochleven, a fine and graceful mountain crowning a beautiful ridge, with tremendous views especially across to Ben Nevis.

The route starts from the car park beside St Paul's Church in Kinlochleven, signed for the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall. A path climbs steeply through woodland before emerging onto open moor, crossing the vehicle track to Mamore Lodge and continuing towards the distinctive nose of Sgòr Eilde Beag — a subsidiary top of Binnein Mòr rather than nearby Sgùrr Eilde Mòr, a common point of confusion. From here the route curves round over Binnein Mòr's South Top and up its graceful south ridge to the summit, with expanding views of Loch Eilde Mòr and, on the descent, Binnein Beag looking remarkably small far below for a Munro in its own right.

Almost all walkers continue to neighbouring Na Gruagaichean, retracing the ridge briefly before following it narrowing south-west — initially grassy, then shattered rock — down to a bealach, with no real difficulties on the modest reascent to the second summit, though the final stretch crosses genuine boulder fields where route-finding could be tricky in mist.

The great delight of the Mamores is ridgewalking, and few climb Binnein Mòr by any route other than the ridge itself — the classic epic challenge for the exceptionally fit is a full traverse of the entire Mamores ridge, eight Munros on or close to the main spine plus two eastern outliers, in a single day.

Combined with Na Gruagaichean, the round trip from Kinlochleven is typically eight to nine hours, including a notoriously unrelenting, largely pathless descent from Na Gruagaichean back down towards Kinlochleven.

The ridge itself is generally straightforward with good paths, but the connecting boulder field near Na Gruagaichean and the final descent both demand care — the descent in particular has a well-earned reputation among regular visitors as tiring, boggy, and steep in places with no clear path for long stretches.

Parking at Kinlochleven is free; buses serve the village from Fort William and Glencoe.