Its a Sunday so must be a visit to church.....Beinn na h-Eaglaise

Hill: Beinn na h-Eaglaise (Mountain/Hill of the Church)

Type: Fiona

Height: 736m

Bit of a bummer as I cancelled this walk for ADRC due to the appalling fog and subsequent very poor visibility for most of the day. But sods law, about 9am, the weather was improving so I decided to give it a bash. I did message but the other walkers had presumably sorted out other walks to do so it became a solo effort.

I started from the large walkers car park at the Torridon Inn, expected it to be a pay parking but pleasantly surprised.

The initial part of the route is the same as for Beinn Damh which I am doing tomorrow.

Walk west along the road through the rear courtyard over the bridge and up the track to the main road. On the other side there is a stalkers path that goes through the rhododendrons although these have been severely cut back.

Steep start

The path climbs uphill above a gorge with waterfalls through beautiful natural pine forests to emerge onto the more open pine and boulder strewn hillside. It is a climb that you are straight into, I was huffing and puffing. Plenty of birdsong to accompany me.

Go left

River crossing

Crossroads time, right for Damh, the left fork for me. When this reaches the river the path can be seen across a deep gorge but to cross follow the path this side to make the boulder steps crossing. Fine today but could be interesting after heavy rain.

Just go for it

Follow the path for another 600m onto the flanks of Eaglaise then it is decision time re where to leave the track and head onto the moor. I had one track saved but looking at it there seemed a more straightforward route so that is the one I chose. I knew that once I ascended it to the first crags I was going to be into the cloud. At least I had got this far with decent visibility, probably around the 500m mark.

There would be a series of lifts onto different sections of the ridge. Pathless but straightforward route finding to avoid the crags even with limited visibility.

The terrain is rough throughout with only one short section of easy scrambling on my route. On my left I was aware of some significant drops that would have been dangerous had the forecasted peasouper happened. As it was I had about 30 metres of visibility.

A short scramble coming up not possible to bypass 

The final kilometre is flatter but small rises appearing out of the gloom appeared giant hills, thankfully just small.

Finally the summit cairn

I was surprised to spot the cairn rising out of the miss slightly off to my right, my direction slightly off.

Hey say it is a superb viewpoint but not for me today. But it was strangely quiet, not even a slight breeze.

Liathach magically appeared

There are a couple of other descent options but as I had minimal visibility it was straight back down the same way. Shortly after leaving the top there was a slight opening of the cloud, only about 20 seconds, to tease and show the flanks of Liathach.

Upper Loch Torridon with Skye beyond

Torridon village and the lower slopes of Liathach

Not to be seen again until I came out of the clouds and had lunch overlooking the blue waters of Loch Torridon and beyond to Skye and the Hebrides, quite stunning.

Looking over towards Beinn Damh

Stunning lichen colourings

An uneventful return with good views of the steep track up Beinn Damh, tired legs after tomorrow I suspect.

It turned out to be a good walk. I would have been concerned leading a group through the pathless terrain in poor visibility with the dangers around, right choice, just a pity nobody else got to share the experience.

Ascent: 725m

Distance: 9.2km

Time: 4.14

Wildlife: Cuckoo (calling); Meadow Pipit; Coal Tit; Common Frog; Orange Tip (m); Tree Pipit(h);