Beinn Fhada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beinn Fhada |
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| Ben Attow | |
Beinn Fhada from the north
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,032 m (3,386 ft) |
| Prominence | 647 m (2,123 ft) |
| Parent peak | Carn Eige |
| Listing | Marilyn, Munro |
| Naming | |
| English translation | Long Mountain |
| Language of name | Scottish Gaelic |
| Pronunciation | English approximation: bayn-AT-ə |
| Geography | |
| Location | Highland, Scotland |
| Parent range | Kintail |
| OS grid | NH018192 |
Beinn Fhada (which means long mountain in Scottish Gaelic) is a cool mountain found in the amazing Scottish Highlands. It's also sometimes called Ben Attow. This mountain stands tall at 1,032 meters (about 3,386 feet) high. That makes it a "Munro," which is a special name for Scottish mountains over 3,000 feet!
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Exploring Beinn Fhada
If you love hiking, climbing Beinn Fhada can be a real adventure! One of the best ways to reach the top starts from a place called Morvich. This is in the north-west part of the mountain.
The Journey Up
You begin by walking up a grassy slope on the east side of the River Croe. It can be a bit wet and muddy in some spots, so wear good boots! As you go higher, you'll reach a rocky ridge. This ridge first heads south over a spot called Sgurr a' Choire Ghairbh. Then, it turns east across a wider, flatter area known as the Plaide Mhòr.
There's one short part on this ridge where you'll need to do a bit of easy scrambling downwards. It's like a mini rock climb! Once you're past that, it's a clear path to the very top of Beinn Fhada.
Coming Back Down
When you're ready to head back, an easy path leads north-west from the summit. This path takes you down into a valley called Gleann Choinneachain. The whole trip from Morvich and back is about 7 kilometers (around 4.3 miles). You'll climb about 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) in total, including the ups and downs along the ridge.
Cool Facts About Beinn Fhada
Even though some people might think Beinn Fhada is a simple mountain, it has some really unique features!
The Ancient Plaide Mhòr
One special part is the Plaide Mhòr. This is a huge, flat area near the top. It's actually one of the biggest pieces of very old land surface in the western Highlands! This land was there even before the last Ice Age, which means it's super ancient. It looks a bit like the high, flat areas you might find in the Cairngorms mountains.
Giant Rock Slides
Another amazing thing about Beinn Fhada is on its south-west side. Here, you can see huge trenches in the slopes. These trenches are up to 10 meters (about 33 feet) high and 800 meters (about half a mile) long! They stretch for about 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles). These are signs of something called a 'rock slope failure'. It's the biggest one of its kind in the Highlands. It means that over a very long time, huge sections of rock slowly slid down the mountain.
