Na Gruagaichean facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Na Gruagaichean
Looking towards Na Gruagaichean 1km to the East.
Highest point
Elevation	1,056 m (3,465 ft)
Prominence	98 m (322 ft)
Parent peak	Binnein Mor
Listing	Munro
Naming
English translation	The Maidens
Language of name	Gaelic
Geography
Na Gruagaichean Location in Scotland
Parent range	Mamores
OS grid	NN20316519
Topo map	OS Landranger 41

Na Gruagaichean is a mountain in Scotland. It's located in the Mamores mountain range, nestled between Glen Nevis in the north and the village of Kinlochleven in the south. This beautiful peak is part of the Scottish Highlands.

Discovering Na Gruagaichean

Na Gruagaichean is a special type of Scottish mountain called a Munro. It stands tall at 1,056 meters (3,465 feet). This makes it the 74th highest Munro in Scotland. You can find it at the eastern end of the Mamores mountain range.

You can often see the top of Na Gruagaichean clearly from the village of Kinlochleven. It's also visible from the B863 road that goes from Glencoe to Kinlochleven. Sometimes, though, the peak is covered in mist, even in summer!

This mountain is one of the easiest to reach from Kinlochleven. This is because it's quite close to the village. Plus, there's a clear path that leads most of the way to the top.

On June 8, 2019, a group of seven hikers faced a lightning storm on Na Gruagaichean. Rescue teams, including a helicopter from HM Coastguard, the Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team, and Scotland's Air Ambulance, quickly helped everyone.

Exploring the Mountain's Shape

This mountain is located about four kilometers (2.5 miles) north-northeast of Kinlochleven. Na Gruagaichean has two main tops where three ridges meet. The southern top is the higher one, so that's the true summit.

• The narrow northeast ridge connects to Binnein Mor.
• The narrow west-northwest ridge leads to Stob Coire a' Chàirn (981m). A path goes up from Coire na Bà here.
• The third, southern ridge goes down towards Kinlochleven. This ridge offers amazing views of the village and the surrounding area.

The summit of Na Gruagaichean is stony and rocky in some spots. From the top, you get fantastic views of other famous mountains. These include Ben Nevis and Binnein Mor.

How to Climb Na Gruagaichean

Most people start their climb up Na Gruagaichean from Kinlochleven. You can also drive to Mamore Lodge and park there. This saves you about 200 meters (656 feet) of climbing!

From Mamore Lodge, climbers usually follow an old path. This path heads north away from the village. Then, it turns east and leads towards the summit.

You can also climb Na Gruagaichean from Glen Nevis. Many people combine this climb with other mountains like Binnein Beag and Binnein Mor. This can be done as a long ridge walk. It's also part of the challenging Ring of Steall ridge walk.

The Mamores VK race is a tough running event that starts in Kinlochleven. It finishes right at the very top of Na Gruagaichean!

The Folk Tale of The Maidens

There's an old story told in both Gaelic and English about Na Gruagaichean, which means "The Maidens."

Long ago, in a place called Callart, lived a famous deer hunter. He had a greyhound dog that was the best in Lochaber. But both the hunter and his dog were getting old and slower.

One autumn day, the hunter and his old dog went up the hill above Kinloch More to hunt deer. He saw many deer but couldn't get close enough to shoot an arrow or send his dog after them. As the sun began to set, he saw a large stag all by itself. He sent his dog after it.

At first, the dog was catching up. But then the stag lowered its antlers and lifted its nose to the air. The dog started to fall behind and soon lost sight of the deer.

Tired and upset, the hunter sat down on a green hill in a deep valley between two tall mountains. Soon, two beautiful maidens appeared before him. One of them held a noble dog on a leash.

The first maiden spoke, "You are tired, hunter, and sad because your old dog let the big stag get away."

"I am tired, and sad that my grey dog's best days are over," the hunter replied.

"Don't worry, take this dog with you," said the second maiden. "He will catch any creature on Earth, from a small hare to a large stag, and bring it to you."

"What is his name?" asked the hunter.

She said his name was Brodum. The hunter took the leash and thanked her. He said goodbye to the maidens and went home.

The next day, the hunter gathered everyone in his house. He pointed towards the two mountains where he had seen the maidens. He said, "Do you see those two mountains? From now on, remember to call them 'The Maidens'." And that is what they are called to this day.

The dog, Brodum, stayed with the hunter for the rest of his life. He was an amazing dog. He did everything he was asked and caught every creature he was sent after. He would only follow his master.

When his master died, Brodum became sad. He followed the funeral to a ravine between Callart and the next farm. But he stopped there and went down into a cave. He was never seen again. His name lives on in the names of these two places: Brodum's Ravine and Brodum's Cave.