Aonach Mòr
1221m high mountain in Highland, Scotland, UK
Aonach Mòr is a mountain in the Scottish Highlands. It is located about two miles (three kilometres) northeast of Ben Nevis on the south side of Glen Spean, near Fort William. The mountain has a summit elevation of 4,006 ft (1,221 m) and is classified as a Munro.
The name Aonach Mòr (big ridge) might suggest that the mountain is taller than its close neighbour to the south, Aonach Beag (small ridge) to which it is linked by a high bealach. However, the names refer to the relative bulk of the mountains when seen from the glen, rather than their elevation; the summit of Aonach Mòr is 43 ft (13 m) lower than the summit of Aonach Beag.
The quickest and shortest ascent route for hikers is to take the gondola to the Snowgoose Terminal at an elevation of 2,133 ft (650 m) and then hike to the summit. More traditionally, the mountain is often climbed from the south from Glen Nevis and in conjunction with Aonach Beag.
Climate
The summit of Aonach Mòr has tundra climate (ET climate in the Köppen classification). The annual mean temperature is 2.9 °C (37.2 °F) and the warmest calendar month of the year, July, is below 10 °C (50 °F). The tree line of the mountain - as with most of highland Scotland - is found at approximately 500 metres (1,600 feet) and above this only stunted tree specimens may be found.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Aonach Mòr” as 1221m high mountain in Highland, Scotland, UK. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as 1221m high mountain in Highland, Scotland, UK. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 29, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2395787. Authority coordinates are 56.813, -4.962. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Aonach Mòr”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Aonach Mòr primary sources, Aonach Mòr archive and Aonach research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Aonach Mòr”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Aonach Mòr” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.