Beinn a' Chaorainn (Glen Spean)

Beinn a’ Chaorainn
The southern flank of the mountain seen from Roughburn on the A86.
Highest point
Elevation	1,050 m (3,440 ft)
Prominence	228 m (748 ft)
Parent peak	Creag Meagaidh
Listing	Munro, Marilyn
Naming
Translation	Mountain of the Rowan Tree (Gaelic)
Pronunciation	Scottish Gaelic: [ˈpeɲəˈxɯːɾɛɲ]
Geography
Location	Lochaber, Highland, Scotland
Parent range	Grampians
OS grid	NN386850
Topo map	OS Landranger 34, OS Explorer 401

Beinn a’ Chaorainn is a Scottish mountain situated on the northern side of Glen Spean in the Lochaber region of the Highland Council area. The mountain which is located 30 km east-northeast of Fort William is one of several of the same name in the Scottish Highlands and should not be confused with another well known Beinn a’ Chaorainn in the Cairngorms.

Beinn a’ Chaorainn reaches a height of 1052 metres (3451 feet) and qualifies as both a Munro and a Marilyn. It stands in a section of the Grampian Mountains often known as the Loch Laggan Hills these include the Creag Meagaidh range five km to the NE and the adjoining Munro of Beinn Teallach which is just over two km to the west. Beinn a’ Chaorainn is usually climbed in conjunction with Beinn Teallach in a 13 km horseshoe walk around the Allt a’ Chaorainn, starting at Roughburn on the A86 road. The mountains name translates from the Gaelic language as “Mountain of the Rowan Tree”.

Beinn a’ Chaorainn is basically a north-south orientated ridge which looks quite an undistinguished bulk when viewed from Roughburn (see picture), the best view of the mountain being from the east where the crags of Coire na h-Uamha give the mountain some character. This corrie’s name translates as the Corrie of the Cave although no significant cave is known in its environs although there are several small lochans within its higher recesses. It is drained by the Allt na h-Uamha whose glen separates the mountain from Creag Meagaidh massif to the east. Part of these eastern flanks of the mountain are clothed in coniferous woodland below the 550 metre contour. Coire na h-Uamha is split into two distinctive parts by an eastern ridge which gives a feasible route of ascent from the foot of the coire directly to the main summit, however some care is needed and in Winter conditions it is ranked as a Grade I Winter route.