Stob Diamh

Stob Diamh is a 988-metre Munro in the Scottish Highlands, standing in Argyll and Bute. Its Gaelic name means ‘peak of the stag’. The mountain rises above Loch Awe, part of a rugged massif whose highest point is Ben Cruachan. Two ridges curve south and north-east from the summit, forming a horseshoe-shaped corrie called Coire Chreachainn. The south ridge ends at the 980-metre Stob Garbh, while the north-east ridge drops to the 966-metre Sron an Isean. Steep, rocky walls on the northern side fall away towards Glen Noe and Loch Etive. Most climbers reach Stob Diamh as part of the Cruachan horseshoe, often including Ben Cruachan itself. One route follows the connecting ridge through the 1009-metre Drochard Ghlas, another uses the south ridge from Loch Awe. Both paths pass the upper reservoir of Cruachan Power Station before meeting at the summit. The usual starting point is the seasonal Falls of Cruachan halt on the West Highland Line. A quieter approach begins from a lay-by on the A85 west of Dalmally. From the top, walkers look down on Loch Awe and across to Ben Cruachan. The horseshoe corrie holds small lochans and patches of late snow. The ridges are narrow and rocky, with drops on either side. Glen Noe’s waterfalls and mixed woodland lie to the north. The summit offers a sense of isolation despite its neighbours, with views stretching to Glencoe and Ben Nevis on clear days.