Grey Corries from Corriechoille

The 'Wee minister' on the start of the walk into the Grey Corries

The start of this route is from Corriechoille, which is at the the end of a narrow road which starts from the railway station in Spean Bridge and heads eastwards. By the bins at Corriechoille, there is a sign discouraging parking on the verge.

However, there appears to be no objection to turning right and driving the 2km right down the track to the edge of the forest on the rugged track, but be prepared for your car's suspension to take a pounding ! Best to park where there is a junction in the tracks.

Approaching Leacach Bothy below Stob Ban

Leaving your car behind, walk south and up a good track to a gate into felled forestry. Through the gate (or more likely over a stile) you'll pass the Wee Minister - a wooden sculpture with a collection box for Lochaber Mountain Rescue. Through the felled forest, the track comes out by a gate, dips down to a bridge over the Allt Leachdach then continues for 4km to Leacach Bothy below Stob Ban, passing below the rough Corbett peaks of Crauch Innse and Sgùrr Innse on the way.

Below the bothy, cross a burn (there is a newish bridge just upstream if in spate), take path on right, then right uphill again at a small cairn. The path climbs up peaty ground, then grass to a flat area at 750m. The path then zig-zags through some boulderfield onto Stob Bàn's summit .

On the Grey Corries ridge between Stob Coire Claurigh and Stob Coire an Laoigh

From Stob Ban, it's a steep and loose descent north-west. If you like running down screes, you'll love this short route twisting through boulderfield and screes to reach a lochan at Bealach Coire Rath . Above the lochan and initially on grassy slopes, head northwards uphill on a faint path.

The path begins to gradually disappear into boulderfield for the last climb of 150m north-west to the summit of Stob Choire Claurigh with its large pile of stones posing as a summit cairn.

Early '98 heading to Stob Coire an Laoigh

Leaving Stob Choire Claurigh's summit behind, head south-west, a combination of grass and rock define fine ridges linking the summit peaks. Stob a'Choire Lèith is quickly reached.

On the way to Stob Coire an Laoigh

On the way to Stob Coire an Laoigh

Heading to Sgùrr Chòinnich Mòr from Stob Coire Easain

From Stob Coire an Laoigh it is possible to aim directly for the bealach below Sgùrr Chòinnich Mor, but to enjoy the Grey Corries ridge more, I prefer to head up the Munro Top of Stob Coire Easain first, if just to enjoy the views !

Leaving Stob Coire an Laoigh behind aim north-west on an obvious route zig-zagging though shattered boulders down to the bealach above Coire a'Mhadaidh and Coire Easain. A short ascent up the other side quickly reaches Stob Coire Easain , the last top on the main Grey Corries ridge.

South-west next, some care is needed with a couple of rocky sections requiring a bit easy scrambling. In mist there is a tendancy for the ridge to pull walkers westwards, so best to keep an eye on the compass.

Bealach Coire Easain , the wide col below Sgùrr Chòinnich Mòr is reached. This is the lowest part of the ridge since Stob Coire Claurigh and from here the ascent up Sgùrr Chòinnich Mòr looks daunting - it's not as bad or as far as you'd expect !

The route up Sgùrr Chòinnich Mòr is fairly obvious on clear days - headup the hillside directly from the bealach, a worn path will gradually appear, follow this along the north-east crest of Sgùrr Chòinnich Mòr. On the way to the summit you'll pass some interesting splits in the ground. Note in winter a pleasant snow-shoulder develops on Sgùrr Chòinnich Mòr's north-east shoulder which actually make the route easier, especially on the return descent !

Descending grassy slopes from Stob Coire Easain

Return along Sgùrr Chòinnich's north-east shoulder to Bealach Coire Easain and back up Stob Coire Easain .

Aim due north down a short section of scree. Continue north on grassy ground over Beinn na Socaich (this summit can easily be bypassed on it's western side) and aim for just south of the dam marked at NN240764.

Cross the burn at south end of the small dammed lochan - don't attempt to cross on the dam ! Head up the eastern side of the lochan to the dam , cross a stile over a large fence and pick up a path ontop of a pipe then a track to follow north. Some sections of the old aluminium-works railway remain semi-hidden in the forest - don't follow these !

Continue for just over 1km to an obvious junction in the track, take the right fork which travels north-east through thicker forest, then a clearing and finally thicker again back to where your car is parked near Corriechoille.