Fort William, Scotland
Aonach Mòr

A mountain called ‘Big’ in Gaelic, Aonach Mor’s bulk dominates the Scottish highlands.

The Scottish charm comes from the heath slopes and constant showers, the watery colors and dramatic highlands. And there’s few to present this better than the Aonach Mor in Fort William of Scotland. Standing at 1221m in height, it may not be the tallest but it is undoubtedly an imposing site, snaking its head out from the tracts in the ground where they have buckled and folded into minor peaks. The path up its side begins beyond a swinging gondola ride where you’re suspended over a pool of muted green grassland dotted with wildflower. At 650m you continue on foot, boots crunching into dew-soaked grass as the world falls away in a gentle incline. The Lochs of Lochaber appear endless, plates of glass melded into the earthen terrain to reflect the light in glaring rays. Rocks take the form of people squatting along the mountainside and a jutting fold in the earth splits the earth between Ben Nevis and Aonach Mor. From Sgurr Finnisg-aig in the North and Meall Beag in the southwest, moorland beauty at Aonach Mor is apparent no matter which way you turn.


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Tips Before You Go
Hiking isn’t all there is to be done at Aonach Mor. In fact, its skiing scene is one of the most developed in the area. When winter arrives to paint the slopes white, the fairy lights of the ski resorts come on. The entire northern slopes have been transformed, and some might even say damaged, by the sheer number of ski tracks that have been created. For summer, there are even high wire adventure rope courses. Of course hiking enthusiasts can ramp up the difficulty by walking up Aonach Mor after having scaled a few of the neighbouring peaks to experience the Scottish Highlands to their fullest. Fun Fact: While Aonach Mor’s name suggests that it is the tallest peak, that title actually goes to its smaller neighbour Aonach Beag.
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Aonach Mor, Spean Bridge PH34 4EX, UK