View source for Aonach Beag

{{short description|Mountain in the Scottish Highlands}}
{{About|the mountain near Ben Nevis|the other Munro near Ben Alder|Aonach Beag (Ben Alder)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Aonach Beag
| photo = Aonach beag.jpg
| photo_caption = Aonach Beag from [[Aonach Mòr]]
| elevation_m = 1234
| elevation_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/mountaindetails.php?rf=279 |title=Aonach Beag |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2019 |publisher=Hill Bagging - the online version of the Database of British and Irish Hills (DoBIH) |access-date=20 June 2019}}</ref>
| prominence_m = 404
| prominence_ref = 
| parent_peak = [[Ben Nevis]]
| listing = [[Munro]], [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]]
| translation = Small ridge
| language = [[Scottish Gaelic language|Gaelic]]
| pronunciation = {{IPA|gd|ˈɯːnəx ˈpek|lang}}<br /><small>English approximation:</small> {{respell|OON|əkh|BEK}}
| location = [[Lochaber]], [[Scotland]]
| range = [[Grampian Mountains]]
| grid_ref_UK = NN197715
| topo = [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] ''Landranger'' 41
}}
{{GB summits start}}
{{GB summits entry
|Name=Aonach Beag
|Gridref=NN202709
|Height=1234 m
|Status=Munro, Marilyn, Murdo
}}
{{GB summits entry
|Name=Stob Choire Bhealaich
|Gridref=NN202709
|Height=1100 m
|Status=Munro Top
}}
{{GB summits entry
|Name=Sgùrr a' Bhuic
|Gridref=NN204701
|Height=963 m
|Status=Munro Top, Murdo
}}
{{end}}

'''Aonach Beag''' is a [[mountain]] in the [[Scottish Highlands]]. It is located about 3&nbsp;km east of [[Ben Nevis]] on the north side of [[Glen Nevis]], near the town of [[Fort William, Highland|Fort William]]. Apart from Ben Nevis, Aonach Beag is the highest peak in the [[British Isles]] outside the [[Cairngorms|Cairngorm mountains]] in eastern Scotland.

Aonach Beag is linked to its close neighbour to the north, [[Aonach Mòr]], by a high saddle or [[bealach]]. The name Aonach Beag (''small ridge'') might imply that this mountain is smaller than [[Aonach Mòr]] (''big ridge''). However, Aonach Beag is higher; the names refer to the relative bulk of the two mountains rather than their elevation.

The easiest way up is to take the [[gondola lift]] serving the [[Nevis Range]] [[Skiing|ski area]] on Aonach Mòr to an elevation of 650&nbsp;m and follow the ridge joining the two peaks. More traditionally, the hill is often climbed from the south from [[Glen Nevis]]. This way the walker avoids the paraphernalia associated with the ski development. Aonach Beag is often climbed in conjunction with Aonach Mòr.

Aonach Beag's north face holds one of Scotland's longest-lying [[Snow patches in Scotland|snow patch]]es (grid reference NN196718), which sits at the bottom of the climb known as 'Queen's View' at an elevation of about 950&nbsp;m. This patch has been known to last through to the first lasting snows of the new winter, and was present continuously from late 2006 to late November 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Winterhighland forum|url=http://www.winterhighland.info/forum/read.php?2,137596,141268#msg-141268|access-date=2012-01-25}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Ben Nevis]]
* [[List of Munro mountains]]
* [[Mountains and hills of Scotland]]
{{portal|mountains}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Scottish Munros section 4}}

{{coord|56.79999|N|4.95424|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(NN197715)|display=title}}<!-- Note: WGS84 lat/long, converted from OSGB36 grid ref -->

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Marilyns of Scotland]]
[[Category:Munros]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of the Central Highlands]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of Highland (council area)]]
[[Category:One-thousanders of Scotland]]