BEST WALKS IN TORRIDON

Torridon is revered by Scottish walkers and mountaineers, a place of almost mythical proportions. It is stunningly beautiful and one of my favourites in the whole country (if not the world!) This area is known as Wester Ross and has long been hailed as one of Scotland’s most impressive.I’m adding detailed write ups to each of these walks over time.

From Beinn Alligin’s summit ridge

The mountains here can seem quite intimidating with very steep sides rising straight up out of the sea or glen to over 3,000 feet. Many stand proudly on their own – inselbergs  –  just as they do further north in Assynt. It is a quality of the North West Highlands,  these stand alone mountains,  which helps make the whole area so wild and beautiful and unique.

There are of course many stunning flattish or low level easy walks to be enjoyed throughout Torridon, if the big peaks don’t appeal, or if experience is limited or time or energy are constraints.These are my favourite walks.I’ll follow up with more detail per walk in separate links.

LOW LEVEL/COASTAL WALKS

1.Torridon/Fasag village to Rechullin and back (3 – 6 miles)

Beinn Damh from the coastal walk to Rechullin

One of the finest easy walks in the whole area,  taking from 1 hour to 2-3 hrs.It can be followed as long as time allows; there’s no need to go all the way to Rechullin. Alternatively, it’s equally possible to walk beyond Rechullin to Inveralligin, a mile or so further and come back to Torridon village via the high level single track road, which offers fabulous views. We’ve seen otters and eagles regularly on this walk.For more on our latest experiences on this walk: Loch Torridon Coastal Walk (north side)

2.South Shore of Loch Torridon (Up to 4 –  6 miles or less.  From 1.5hrs  – 2/3 hours or less.) A Walk on Loch Torridon’s South Shore

Beinn Alligin.

A stunning easy walk using good forestry tracks and smaller paths with incredible views to Beinn Alligin and Liathach as well as some beautiful bays to discover.Again, it’s easy to curtail this walk by only going so far. Otherwise, a car would be needed to return you to your starting point.The little white cottage visible furthest right is Rechullin (previous walk.)

We ‘discovered’ this walk on a recent April visit.It used to be heavily overgrown with rhododendrons but most of these have now been cleared.I was in 7th heaven on this walk, it really is a stunner for no effort.

3.Coire Nobuil

Parking: drive from Torridon village towards Diabaig. Once high above the loch and through a small wood of Scots Pines there is a stone bridge.The largish parking area is on the left.

Beinn Dearg from Coire Nobuil

This is a really beautiful easy flat walk on a good path, through the high moorland above Loch Torridon. Mountains all around and a fine river with small waterfalls.There’s a lovely larger waterfall as you cross the road , viewable from the Bridge.This walk is perfect when you don’t have much time and only want to go so far because the rewards are there from the very start.

We did this walk most recently in early May 2023 with the family ( my little 3 month old grandson was in a baby sling carried by my son) and it was just perfect.Younger children will also enjoy playing by the river once it flattens out at the bridge and is accessible.

Once out of the lovely pinewoods, Beinn Dearg lies straight ahead.

And Beinn Alligin on the left…

We walked as far as the wooden bridge over the river then headed back in case the wee one woke…now views of Loch Torridon hold the attention. So beautiful.

It’s possible to continue this walk beyond the bridge, right round the base of Liathach, to emerge eventually into Glen Torridon. The later part of the track can be boggy in places and it IS a long way but offers superb scenery throughout.Two cars would be needed.

4.The Lochan of Coire Mhic Fhearchair (Corrie of Farquar’s Son)

See : A Walk to a Wild Torridon Lochan

Two hours each way to this wild lonely spot, with rock buttresses framing a glacial green lochan. As wild a spot as you could wish. It’s also a favoured route onto the summits of Beinn Eighe, one of the Torridon biggies. 4 – 5 hours return. Pronounced like ‘corry veeck errackar.’

5.The Ling Hut

Minutes walk from the car park in Glen Torridon but giving a real sense of the grandeur and wildness of this area for no effort.Can be a bit boggy.This is also the start of a very wild, rough walk up through moorland to a pair of other worldly wild lochans below Beinn Liath Mhor and Sgurr Ruadh and gives access to Sgorr nan Lochan Uaine, the Peak of the Green Lochans.For more on this via the Ling Hut :A Hike to the Peak of the Green Lochans

6.Loch Clair

Another short stroll from the Glen Torridon road, down to this lovely loch which offers iconic views of the mighty giant that is Liathach as well as the quartzite slopes of Beinn Eighe.

7.The Shieldaig Peninsula

An out and back walk from pretty Shieldaig village, along the beautiful shores of Loch Shieldaig itself (which joins Loch Torridon.) Path can be a bit rocky in places but nothing difficult, no drops or anything like that!  Look out for otters and sea eagles, the latter nesting on Shieldaig island.This walk gives great up close views of the stunning rock and moorland landscape of Torridon as well as fantastic mountain vistas all around.1 – 1.5 hours.

Applecross’s Sand Beach

I can never resist a stroll on this not large, pinkish sand beach with its wonderful views to Raasay and Skye’s Black Cuillin mountain range.Torridon is not renowned for beaches, having rocky shores  –  Applecross is the closest.

Red Point beaches 

Quite a drive away, around 80 mins and beyond Gairloch. But these are fine, wild usually deserted pink sand beaches frequented by seals offshore.

MOUNTAIN WALKS (for experienced and well equipped hillwalkers only)

Beinn Alligin (the Jewelled Mountain)

This beautiful mountain offers one of the most superb summit views I’ve seen from any mountain I’ve climbed, here or abroad. The path from the Coire Nobuil car park to the first top is a continual slog but with no difficulty as such.Just hard work! 5 – 7 hours.

Liathach (the Big Grey One)

Scary Liathach! All rock terraces and severely sheer slopes, this mountain really intimidates me but there is a very easy (if sloggy) way up onto one of its highest summits, Mullach an Rathain. The second Munro at the eastern end is Spidean a Choire Leith and I haven’t plucked up the courage yet to clamber up its very, VERY steep path.One day…maybe….5 – 10 hours.

Beinn Eighe 

Offering stunning views,  I’ve accessed this famous mountain from the 2 hour walk in to Coire Mhic Fhearchair, then up the eroded scree/boulder gully onto the broad easy ridge.The descent from the second Munro is very tough on the old knees, but perfectly safe. 7 -9 hours.

Beinn Damh (the Mountain of the Stag) 

Beinn Damh from Loch Torridon’s north shore

To me, the equal of Beinn Alligin for summit views, this very benign but spectacular mountains sits on the south side of the loch. One of the finest hill walks I’ve ever enjoyed, the views are Tolkienesque. About 5  – 6 hours round trip, no difficulties apart from forcing yourself to descend, eventually  and leave those views behind. 5 -6 hours.For details of our unforgettable hike up this beauty of a mountain: A Hike up the Mountain of the Stag (Beinn Damh)

Beinn a Chearchaill

One I did with the family in May 2022, a cracker of a hill walk. Very do-able at all times of year and a very gradual ascent. Roughish ground halfway up when the path peters out.It could be boggy if there’s been a lot of rain. We luckily had it pretty dry. The views over Torridon from the unusual angle the mountain gives, are outstanding. This walk starts on the Loch Maree side of Torridon, a beautiful area just a few miles from Kinlochewe and about 30 mins drive all in from Torridon village. More here:

The Majesty of Torridon from Beinn a Chearchaill

Beinn Shieldaig

Ben Shieldaig

Still to do this one. Looks like an amazing viewpoint.

Mountain Trail, Beinn Eighe

We did this walk last December on a day of strong winds and scudding cloud.The whole area looked fantastic.About 3-4 hours all in depending on how long you stop at the loch.We had lunch there, sitting by the wonderful ethereal waters and taking in the scene.The excellent path has been built to take walkers up to Lunar Loch, so named because of how rocky and indeed slightly moon like the terrain at the top is.That said, all the way, the views of Slioch, Loch Maree and, at the loch, Beinn Eighe and the mountains in general is stunning.Maybe the day we did this, in winter, with strong winds, I admit it did feel like a real slog but I think we were both just suffering the after effects of a cold.Next time, I’d do the mountain trail rather than the gorge trail as I think the views might be more open in the middle section.But no complaints really ! Views were stunning from the start and it’s an amazing location to be able to arrive at so safely.For more on this walk see:

THE MOUNTAIN TRAIL TO LUNAR LOCH, TORRIDON