A Walk to a Wild Torridon Lochan

This walk took us easily into the very wild and rugged MacFarquar’s Corrie or Coire Mhic Fhearchair and the heart of the truly ancient hinterland of Wester Ross.

The well built path makes for pleasant walking and starts at the Glen Torridon car park opposite the Ling Hut and loch. It’s unmissable driving down the glen as it’s the only largish car park as such.

We set off most recently on a cold but bright November day reckoning on the walk taking about 2 hours each way.

There were as ever a few red deer about, watching us warily as we made our way along the path below the scree slopes of Beinn Eighe and with the precipitous terraces of Liathach to our left. It is mighty mountain country alright.of course , autumn colours are all gold, tawny and amber, even red but in summer, it is all transformed into shades of green and grey.

Unfortunately, clear skies didn’t last very long and cloud began to build – damn that forecast, wrong again! I’d been hoping to enjoy our picnic lunch on the lochan’s shores but it wasn’t looking so promising now.

It was only as we turned round the base of Beinn Eighe and began to make our way up the rockier (but safe) ground near the lochan, that the full force of the wind hit us. Wow, it was strong!

At the lochan itself we were surrounded by more rock than moorland with the mountain’s famous Triple Buttresses looking impressive.

To the left, was the pink – orange scree gully which gives access to the higher slopes. I had made my way up that eroded gully many years ago, on a summer round of the two Munros of Beinn Eighe. Lovely ridge walking with no difficulties up there and stunning views.It reminds me a little of Lake Oesa in the Lake O’Hara region of the Canadian Rockies.

I managed a few photos and we scoffed our sandwiches behind a large boulder, trying to keep out of the biting , buffeting wind. It was the kind where the waterfalls are driven UP into the air, rather than down.

 

Not a place to hang around when the weather is so wild, but idyllic and usually extremely quiet on a fine day. Next time!

We made our way back, getting glimpses of the solitary mountains of beautifully-named Flowerdale a little further north. It really is big, lonely country.

Typically, as we approached Glen Torridon itself, the skies cleared and some lovely light shone on the mountains, transforming the gloominess of earlier. No matter, Torridon refreshes the soul even on a damp day of glowering sky, when a glimpse of sunlight feels like an extra blessing amidst such grandeur.

For more on Torridon: BEST WALKS IN TORRIDON