Grahams: Beinn na h-Eaglaise.
Date: 23/12/2020.
Distance: 13 km.
Ascent: 820m.
Time: 6 hours, 10 minutes.
Weather: Cold, mostly calm, sunny spells and drifting cloud.

With work over, we had 3 days of reasonable but slowly deteriorating weather to look forward to before some kind of lockdown on Boxing Day. Wednesdy was the best, so we decided to go to Torridon. Jackie had been eyeing up this hill since July, but she was a little apprehensive as the route would be her hardest walk since being ill. We decided that we could walk around it rather than over it if she started feeling too knackered.

We were in the car by 9am and parked up in Annat by 10:30 - our earliest start in months . There wasn't the suggested wall-to-wall sunshine but the view of Beinn Alligin and Liathach breaking out of the clouds across the loch was not to be argued with - this was going to be good whatever we managed to do .



Mullach an Rathain and Torridon village


Beinn Alligin

I had recommended the same route that I'd used on this hill the last couple of times - the path around to Loch an Eoin is good and relatively shallow and you really feel like you're right in the middle of the mountains at the loch. We took it easy up here, avoiding the occasional streaks of ice that appeared on the slabby parts of the path. Although the view down Loch Torridon disappears fairly rapidly, we were left with the pinnacles on Liathach dodging in and out of the cloud, as well as the ever-increasing vista of the Coulin/Achnashellach hills.


Fun weather on Liathach


Seana Mheallan


On the Allt Beithe path


Tom na Gruagaich


Slabs on the Allt Beithe path

We passed a mountain biker lower down, and after the stepping stones on the Allt Beithe, we didn't have too far to reach Loch an Eoin. Another walker was passed here, before we picked a vantage point to stop for lunch.


Come on - fall in!


Liathach


Beinn na h-Eaglaise


Maol Chean-dearg from Loch an Eoin


Liathach from Loch an Eoin

After lunch, it was time to go off-piste and climb the southern shoulder of Beinn na h-Eaglaise. The ground was quite reasonable compared to many things we had walked on this autumn, so Jackie was OK with this. We had the option to work westwards and get onto the Coire Roill path if the hill was too much, but with a steady pace and a couple of rest breaks, we were able to get onto the summit area.


Kishorn and Beinn Damh


End of Liathach and Beinn Eighe


Sgorr Ruadh and Fuar Tholl


Fuar Tholl and Loch an Eoin


Liathach and Beinn Eighe from near the summit

There is a slight narrowing of the ridge near the summit, and we had a dusting of snow. This all made it feel like we were up a 'proper' mountain for the first time in a while! The cloud moved in on some of the surrounding hills just as we approached the cairn, but there were still views across Sgorr Ruadh and Maol Chean-dearg to the south.


Sgurr a' Gharaidh


Maol Chean-dearg


Sgurr Dubh


An Ruadh-stac


Near the summit


Sgorr Ruadh to Maol Chean-dearg


Sgurr na Bana-Mhoraire and Loch Torridon


Beinn Damh

There was little to hang around for here, and it was cold. Conveniently, although we should have descended with the wind in our faces, some local variations meant that it was largely behind us. As we dropped down the ridge, the panorama of Liathach hills cleared ahead - amazing.


Liathach catching the last light


Beinn Alligin


Loch Torridon


Sgurr Dubh to Sgorr Ruadh


Loch Torridon and Beinn Alligin


Beinn Alligin and Torridon


Descending to Torridon


North end of Skye and Loch Torridon

There were a couple of steep bits to negotiate, but the descent was largely OK for Jackie (who gets tired on this sort of ground easily just now). Lower down, we diverted south slightly to pick up the Coire Roill path marginally higher up. This cut out some of the rough ground and landed us at our main river crossing of the day before it was dark. This certainly presented a little bit of entertainment with cold water and a couple of iced-up rocks, but we were across fairly quickly.


Last light on Liathach


Zoom to Beinn Alligin


Beinn Alligin

All that remained was the final descent on a good path. Halfway down through the woods, Jackie gave in and got out her headtorch - this provided enough light for me too so I didn't bother getting mine out. However I did keep slipping on frozen tree roots, and was glad when we reached the road.

Although we had a couple more days out planned, nothing was likely to top this, which was fantastic. One day I will finally get around to doing a walk that includes this hill and Beinn Damh!