Meall na Teanga

Meall na Teanga is a mountain in the Highland council area, eleven kilometres north of Spean Bridge. It stands beside Loch Lochy, with steep slopes rising from conifer plantations below the 300-metre contour. The hill reaches 918 metres, just four metres above the Munro threshold, and was listed as a subsidiary top in the 1891 Munro’s Tables. It gained full Munro status in 1921 despite continuing doubts about its height. The name means ‘Hill of the Tongue’ in Gaelic, referring to a long western ridge shaped like a tongue or a steep spur from the loch. The hill is sometimes called ‘Tango’ in an anglified form. The mountain has three fine corries on its slopes, two of them steep and craggy. Coire Odhar Mòr and Coire Odhar Beag face north and feed streams that become the Abhainn Chia-aig. A third corrie, Coire Lochain, holds a small lochan and drains south-west towards the River Arkaig. Three subsidiary tops lie along the ridges, the highest being Meall Coire Lochain at 907 metres. All water from the mountain flows to Loch Lochy and then west to the coast via Loch Linnhe. The most popular route starts at Laggan Locks off the A82, following a cleared track through South Laggan Forest to the Cam Beallach pass. From there the summit can be reached, marked by a boulder cairn. The view from the top takes in the Great Glen, the Grey Corries, the Aonachs and Ben Nevis. An alternative route climbs the western ridge from Gleann Cia-aig, passing the two northern corries for a closer look at their forms. The contrast between steep grassy slopes and rugged corries makes the ascent memorable.