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Day 5 : Beinn Liath Mhor 926m and Sgorr Ruadh 962m
Early morning - Torridon SYHAIt started with a red telephone box and ended with a can of cola: the best walk I have ever undertaken. I had arrived fifteen minutes earlier at the parking space and now, at 8.11am I was walking to Coire Lair. Walking boots laced up; sun cream applied; midges dodged (unsuccessfully).
Months earlier my plans for Torridon had taken shape. The routes on the Big Three were studied and considered. As I became more familiar with the many possibilities I shifted my attention south to Lochcarron and Achnashellach; previously unknown hills came into focus: Beinn Liath Mhor, Sgorr Ruadh and Fuar Tholl looked as thrilling as the more obvious choices and route cards were written.
So here I was at NH 005 483 having driven from Torridon via Achnasheen; a perfect Highland morning. The sharp visibility and blue sky lent a fantastical quality to the landscape. I had three days consecutive walking under my belt and the rucksack, heavy on Sunday, sat comfortably on my back.
I always like the beginnings of walks, how the route commences at unassuming parking spaces that only those in the know regard as thresholds. I headed past the red telephone box on the roadside and the 21st Century began to lose its grip. A couple of dwellings on the track were silent. The Achnashellach request stop invited walkers to cross the track but warned of the dangers. Up a right then a sharp left, the track passed through forestry land, felled trees emitting a thick oily resinous odour. Another walker, who had parked minutes before me, had jumped out of his car and passing the phone box sentinel without hesitation, disappeared. Later I was to meet him on the return track but other than that I didn’t speak to another soul.
From the crossing of the track to the sign for Coire Lair the distance was about 700m. I had read that you had to observe carefully for where the path doubled back on itself but this was quite an obvious left turn.
Marking the path to Coire Lair From the sign for Coire Lair the iconic nose of Fual Tholl projected against the blue sky then dropped into the Allt an Leth-chreig with Teanga Fiadhaich rising to its right. This had a dream-like quality, a submerged memory of a landscape from the pages of a myths and legends picturebook.
Fuar Tholl : Leth Chreag and The NoseI followed the path by the side of Allt an Leth-chreig north west across a footbridge and out of the forest into more open terrain where the River Lair met the burn. The path hugged the fence before zig-zagging north through the Coire Mac an Leasgadir. Sometimes the path was soft earth and mountain bike tracks were imprinted and sometimes there were sections of slab. Passing craggy rocks to the right and then the fording of a small stream I was led to my first view of the majestic Coire Lair, Beinn Liath Mhor and Sgorr Ruadh.
Coire Lair (image distorted by 'waterproof' case)I reached the path division at NG 990 501 for the return path over the River Lair after 70 minutes. From there the path headed north, dividing again: the Coire Lair path ribboning and I followed my route to the eastern prow of Beinn Liath Mhor. After about another 400m a cairn indicated a further split and I continued north to climb on to the ridge.
Up the path above Drochaid Coire LairThe path up to the 876m cairn was obvious, steep at first with clear steps up the grassy slope before becoming increasingly rocky. The gradient eased a little through some craggy sections and it then advanced west with crags to the left above Coire Lair. Quartzite boulders increased as the summit became prominent and then I was at the large cairn at 876m. What followed was the finest ridge walk I have been fortunate to experience. All along the ridge the views in all directions were overwhelming: some peaks I recognised and many I couldn’t identify.
876m cairn view - blurred by case
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- Clearer view from the cairn
Sgorr nan Lochan Uaine, Liathach and Beinn Eighe
Fuar ThollFual Tholl looked particularly impressive from the cairn. The highest point was a reclining arm ending in a in a fist-like buttress, its vertical slashes finishing in scree runs. This mountain had considerable presence as did the Mainreachan Buttress with its sheer face and scree collar.
Sgorr Ruadh
Towering clouds
Coire Lair south west view
Coire Lair north west view
Beinn Eighe/Sgurr Dubh A ptarmigan was startled and I took a photo, the bird silhouetted against Sgorr Ruadh.
PtarmiganThe glistening white Beinn Liath Bheag looked smooth and rounded.
Beinn Liath Bheag Beinn Liath Mhor’s ridge dipped to a col rising again to other tops at 874m and 887m before descending more precipitously with a choice of a scrambly route or a narrow path, which hugged the right hand side.
Lochan UaineClimbing to the summit of Beinn Liath Mhor, grass and crag fell away to what was one of the most arresting images of the day: the motionless beauty of the two lochans below Sgorr nan Lochan Uaine with Beinn Eighe’s scree slopes behind.
Lochan Uaine and Sgorr nan Lochan UaineFrom the rocky summit of Beinn Liath Mhor at 926m Torridon’s famous trio punctured a dramatic sky.
Beinn Alligin/Liathach/Beinn EigheAll along the ridge the mountain scapes, together with the equally impressive clouds created the most phenomenal views I have ever seen on a walk.
Loch Coire Lair
Sgorr Ruadh buttresses
Skye/Applecross hills/Maol Chean-dearg
From the summit
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- Loch Torridon
I seemed almost in touching distance of Torridon village from the summit. Munro no.19! Leaving the summit I headed downhill towards two small lochans. Although I had uploaded the route on to Viewranger, today I was reverting to map and compass and I had noted down bearings for the route.
Coire Lair
Cloud drama
Glen Torridon
Rejoining the path by the lochanI headed too far south on the descent and looking now at my route compared to the WH one I saw I had walked with the 800m contour until I rejoined the intended route. I scrambled down some easy steps to reach the path, which ran alongside a lochan, and it then contoured around a knoll and met the Coire Lair path by a loch at the bealach.
Path heads down to the bealach
Lunch stopAfter a break for lunch I ascended Sgorr Ruadh on grass diagonally to a col above the lochan.
Scree below Sgorr Ruadh
Coire Lair
768m col 
LiathachThen it was a straightforward ascent over quartzite blocks and smoother sandstone. It was quite noticeable on this climb how the quartzite and sandstone co-exist.
Quartzite boulders
Maol Chean-dearg and An Ruadh-Stac
Sandstone and quartziteThe summit was rough underfoot and I had concerns about my depleting water. Sgorr Ruadh was my 20th Munro and 7th this week – I had climbed more Munros in the past four days than I had climbed in the past four years!
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- Summit view
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- Summit view to Fuar Tholl
Beinn Alligin and Liathach
Scree on Beinn Liath Mhor
Sgorr Ruadh buttressOver the summit I headed down a grass slope that made for easier walking. I walked through outcrops to the east of Loch a Bhealaich Mhoir and followed a bearing across Bealach Mor that took me to the path under Fuar Tholl. The Mainreachan Buttress was certainly intimidating ( it surprises me that it's never been used as a backdrop for a sci-fi film). It was never my intention to climb Fuar Tholl as the walks on this break were about following the most obvious planned routes (mostly Munros) and sticking to them.
Close encounters with Mainreachan
Return pathThen it was a very fast walk back. I met the other walker on the path who was also from Merseyside. It was then a matter of getting wet feet in the River Lair, which was in spate and then walking (damply) back the way I had come that morning, to the parking space beyond the red phonebox.
Close up of River LairBefore I knew it I was in Lochcarron drinking a can of cold coke and eating a packet of salt and vinegar twists watching people walk their dogs as the magic of Coire Lair began to fade. However, I don’t think I will lose the memory of the views from Beinn Liath Mhor's ridge quickly nor will I forget the brooding Mainreachan Buttress.
Loch Torridon on the return to the hostel