Munros of torridon and Wester Ross

[ChrisJB]

I was up Scotland last week and was utterly awe-struck by some of the mountains there (most of my hill-walks are in the Pennines and Lakeland).

The following looked the best to climb (not in any order), An Teallach, Slioch, Beinn Eighe, Liathach and Beinn Alligin. Next time I'm up there (it will be during summer months), I want to go up some of them (weather permitting). Are they all 'walkable' or would I need any climbing experience? And if they are walkable, which would be the best to drag the missus up? I think the one that is niggling me most to do, is Beinn Alligin, taking in 'the Horns'.

Regards, Chris

[ron1863]

Hi Chris, Yes, the the vast majority are walkable. As for ones to take the missus up, well that would depend. Are you are planning to bring her back down
I'm sure that if she is as fit as you then there should be no problem. I would go early or late summer, because in mid summer the midges would terrify you.

Here are a couple of links with information:

Walking Scotland - Scotland's Munros

Beinn Alligin Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland

[rlchew]

Seen them all .... climbed none of them

These are all magnificent mountains to photograph from the ground. I am sure they are all great to climb too for the fit WABers

Good luck Chris with which ever you choose to climb. Hopefully we will see some summit photos from you?

Richard

[ChrisJB]

Oh gawd, look what I've done now, saying I want to climb them and people asking for summit photographs. I'm not sure I can handle the weight of expectation!

By the way, Liathach and An Teallach look positively frightful to someone who has only climbed two Munros, so I doubt you will be getting summit pics of these!

Anyway, thanks for the advice.

Regards, Chris

[Ian Gray]

hiya Chris. I can't offer any first hand knowledge on the peaks that
you are thinking of scaling, but don't be put of by how daunting
they may look. Have a go, there's no shame in turning round if you
don't fancy it. I can remember climbing Buachaille Etive Mor, about
ten metres from the top of the main gully I quit, to scary Then I looked
down and I thought-no I don't fancy that either, to scary. So I went
for it, all the way to the top. The sense of jubilation will be hard to
match, made all the greater for what I put myself through.
Just make sure somebody knows what your doing. arrange with
someone that you'll phone them when your back safely within a certain
time limit. Don't rely on mobiles.

[eigg head]

An Teallach, Slioch, Beinn Eighe, Liathach and Beinn Alligin
I've climbed them all - possibly the finest five in Britain?
Slioch is perhaps the easiest, but an early start from Kinlochewe would be recommended. Approach along the shore of Loch Maree then head up Glen Banadil (think that's the name).
Beinn Alligin is actually quite straightforward, and the horns aren't that demanding if you are used to mountain walking. It tends to be done in a clockwise direction.
Liathach ("the grey one") is pretty special, but you can get at it straight from the road between Torridon and Kinlochewe - full frontal assalut - then do the ridge and come off at the western end and walk or hitch back along the road. It does involve some scrambling, or you can avoid this by taking some airy paths that follow rocky ledges just below the ridge.
Beinn Eighe - a monster, particularly if you plan to do the whole mountain. There's actually only one munro top, but miles of ridge to explore, and the fabulous triple buttress corrie at its western end. The corrie is actually a good walk on its own - a fine path takes you there round the back of Liathach.
An Teallach - the best of the lot! I camped up in the corrie so I could be off early next morning. Lots of exposed rocks and ridges, but just fantastic and you look south into some of the best wilderness in Britain, in fact a view that takes in all the other mountains mentioned above.
All tend to have decent traceable paths these days, which wasn't the case before the boom in climbing the Munros!

[Highland Damsel]

Chris JB

I don't live far from Torridon although have never had the nerve, to climb these mountains, i tend to walk alone, but i have thought about it and when asking local stalkers and walkers they have sugested that i try Alligan and see how i go from there. I would definitely do as suggested and let someone know what you're doing and when you have finished doing it, alot of the hotels have little slips you can fill in but i would arrange it with a person. As for looking difficult we have a local hill here known as Wellingtons Nose and i had looked at it from lots of angles and hills and concluded that it was scary from any of them. i decided to go for it and was pleasantly surprised, the path to the base was really good (almost too good perhaps) and i have to admit some nervousness going up the boulder scree but sitting at the top of a hill that i'v looked at every day for years was brilliant, even if it was only nearly a munro. Be careful, take care, take precautions, bail out if you're not happy and enjoy!

[ChrisJB]

Thanks everyone for you words of encouragement and advice.

I dream about climbing the 'Finest Five' that Eigg Head described, but whether I shall or not who knows. Torridon is a long way from Lancashire! I am not a peak bagger at all, it's just that when I visit a place, I like to let the place get under my skin and I like to experience things that only that place can offer. It may be climb a major hill/mountain there, or see a particular bird or wild flower there, etc. So, the next time I go to Torridon I really want to do one of the Munro's up there. Beinn Alligin and Slioch really captivated me and I became fixated with them, so would pick one of them first (from what you say, they sound the easiest two which is most convenient!).

I remember climbing my first Munro (Ben Cruachan) when I was about 19. The weather was wet, windy and misty (I'd find a low level alternative now I'm older) and I got such a shock, setting off from sea level, after the more gentile moors and mountains of the Pennines and Lakeland. I was totally knackered, soaked and saw very little in the mist, but back at the Loch Awe power station, I was overwhelmed with the sense of achievement.

Regards, Chris

[Highland Damsel]

if you are in Torridon in the summer and you want to see something peculiar to the area and are at all into dragonflies, look for a largeish waisted black one with green eyes. These are the Northern emerald dragonflies a nationally rare species found only really in the north west here, we discovered them emerging not fifty yards from the visitor centre in Torridon last year!!!

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Highland Damsel

if you are in Torridon in the summer and you want to see something peculiar to the area and are at all into dragonflies, look for a largeish waisted black one with green eyes. These are the Northern emerald dragonflies a nationally rare species found only really in the north west here, we discovered them emerging not fifty yards from the visitor centre in Torridon last year!!!

I do like dragonflies! I'll certainly look out for them if the weather is decent and time of year is right.

Thanks Damsel.

Regards, Chris