How to Climb Liathach: Torridon's Great Ridge

Liathach — "the grey one" — is the mountain that rises like a wall straight out of Glen Torridon, a soaring stack of terraced sandstone capped with white quartzite. It holds two Munros: Spidean a' Choire Lèith (1,055m) and Mullach an Rathain (1,023m), joined by a narrow crest that is one of the finest — and most serious — ridge traverses in Britain.

The start in Glen Torridon

Liathach is climbed from the A896 in Glen Torridon, with a steep pull straight out of the glen onto the ridge. There is very little gentle ground on this mountain — you gain height fast on rough, rocky terrain. The Munros app lists the route and its distance; it is a demanding day whichever way you take it, with a lot of ascent and awkward descent.

The Am Fàsarinen pinnacles — and the bypass

The heart of the traverse is the Am Fàsarinen pinnacles, a line of sandstone towers on the crest between the two Munros that give exposed, sustained scrambling with steep drops to the north. A bypass path runs along the south side beneath the pinnacles, letting walkers link both Munros without the hardest scrambling — but it is narrow, loose in places and still genuinely airy, not an easy option. There is no truly casual way across Liathach.

One of Britain's most serious ridges

Liathach is graded a serious mountaineering challenge, and it earns it: exposure, real scrambling, steep loose ground, and complex navigation on a narrow crest that is unforgiving in cloud. In winter it is a committing mountaineering route only for the experienced. It is a magnificent objective — see our Torridon and Fisherfield guide — but one to build up to, not to underestimate.

When to go and what to pack

Take Liathach on a dry, settled summer or autumn day when the rock gives good grip and the crest is clear. Carry warm layers, waterproofs, food, a headtorch, and a map and compass you can rely on, and read the mountain forecast before you leave the glen — Torridon weather changes fast.

Related guides

• Munro bagging in Torridon and Fisherfield — the wider area
• Best Munro ridge walks — where Liathach ranks
• Torridon Munros — every peak in the region