Beinn Alligin & Sgurr Mhor

Torridon Hills

Start Point:	Car park beside Coire Mhic Nobuil
Grid Reference:	OS sheet 24 GR 868577
Time:	Allow 4 - 7 hours
View Location:	Click for scalable multimap
Buy OS Map:	Buy Map at Mapsworldwide

Introduction

In weather that you wouldn't put a dog out in, we did just that. Six hours later we had successfully visited some of the most spectacular hills in Scotland without seeing a thing, and our four legged friend was busily contemplating her potential divorce settlement.

The classic pictures of Torridon show awesome rugged hills that look as if they've stepped right out of the Pyrenees. Every thing is massive and rocky. It's therefore incredible, how the weather can put a different slant on things. As, given the perfect blend of wind and rain, even the most spectacular hill can seem like.... well, any other hill in the middle of nowhere.

Click photos for large images

However this nowhere was definitely better than the somewhere that could have been John Lewis, Homebase or any other highstreet retailer... and later in the pub it was strange how quickly memories change. All too quickly, the wind and rain seemed to have had a more refreshing edge rather than being simply wet and cold. In fact our memories were so short that the next day we enjoyed the same conditions in Drumochter, although in the same spirit it could well have been Torridon.

Route

Using the good sized car park situated beside Coire Mhic Nobuil, set off in a north westerly direction on a well defined path that starts just to the left of the bridge. This takes a very direct route going up between Tom na Gruagaich and a southerly top. It's quite a long slog but once you are on the ridge the hardest part is over and from here it is only a short hop and a skip to the first munro of the day.
Once on top of Tom na Gruagaich (GR859602, 922m)take a northerly bearing along the ridge. It may look steep peering down from the summit if the visibility is poor but this is the way to go. Don't be tempted by a less steep ridge running off the to the northwest.
Follow the ridge round to Sgurr Mhor (GR866613, 986m), the second munro of the day. Unluckily for us, the bad weather denied us what must be stunning views in clear conditions.
From the summit take a north easterly direction following the path which should take you all the way back to the car.
As the Horns of Alligin approach it would be easy to look for a shortcut instead of going up and over these two outcrops. By staying on the path you will in fact have a much easier time, the path taking you round and down a south easterly ridge.
Just down from the ridge is the marked path which will take you directly back to the car park via a bridge that will avoid any unnecessary river crossings.

The pictures below that show the views come courtesy of Andy Speight...
hence the opportunity to enjoy the ying and yang of Scottish hillwalking all on one web page.

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