Wilderness Walking View Trip Dates High Points of Torridon Book Now & Wester Ross
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Wilderness Walking View Trip Dates High Points of Torridon Book Now & Wester Ross Trip Grade: Red 7 High Points of Torridon & Wester Ross In the Highlands of North West Scotland lie hundreds of square miles of mountains and lochs, far from civilisation and accessed by just one or two main roads. Save for the occasional hiker this is wild land, the domain of eagles, a landscape best taken in from up high. On this adventure into the wildest places of the Highlands, we will explore iconic and rarely climbed peaks, enjoying wild and challenging hiking. At the end of each day, we will return to our welcoming hotels to enjoy hearty Highland cooking and a peaceful night. Highlights • Immerse yourself in the wilderness of the North West Highlands - a land of magnificent mountains, sweeping glens and silvery lochs • Enjoy superb hiking, ascending both classic and rarely climbed peaks with panoramic views • Discover the Highland culture - warm hospitality, and living life close to the land Book with confidence • We guarantee this trip will run as soon as 3 people have booked • Maximum of 8 places available per departure PLEASE NOTE – The itinerary may be subject to change at the discretion of the Wilderness Scotland Guide with regard to weather conditions and other factors. Planned Itinerary Day 1 | Peaks and Crofts Day 2 | The Hills of the Birds Day 3 | A Wild Coastline Day 4 | Hiking “The Spear” Day 5 | A Torridon Summit Day 6 | A Peak of Our Own Day 7 | A Final High Point Arrival Info • Your Guide will meet you at the centre of Inverness Railway Station by the fixed seating area • 9:00am on Day 1 of your trip Departure Info • You will be returned to Inverness Railway Station • 5:00pm on the final day of your trip PLEASE NOTE – The itinerary may be subject to change at the discretion of the Wilderness Scotland Guide with regard to weather conditions and other factors. Day 1 | Peaks and Crofts We meet in Inverness and transfer to the North West Highlands. To introduce us to this amazing region and the lifestyle of the local people, we visit a tiny crofting community. We then take to the hills, climbing the short but exceptional peak of Beinn Ghoblach (635 m). From its fine summit, you will now have no doubt that you are in the wilds. We then descend and make the short transfer to our hotel , where we settle in before gathering for a welcome dinner. (L, D) Walk details: 12km/ 7 miles | 670m/ 2200 ft ascent | approx. 5 hours Day 2 | The Hills of the Birds Today we set out for Flowerdale Forest - one of many so called ‘deer forests’ in these parts that feature remarkably few trees but many deer and mountains! Our objective is the rarely climbed Beinn an Eoin (855 m). Have no doubt, this is in the very heart of the wild, with panoramic views across the Torridon massifs - all that remains of a single gigantic mountain from ancient times. The long ridge walk today will introduce you to the 1.5 billion year old characteristic sandstones that make up the mountains of this area. (B, L) Walk details: 20km/ 12 miles | 970m/ 3180 ft ascent | approx. 7.5 hours Day 3 | A Wild Coastline After a relaxed breakfast, we jump aboard a privately charted RIB (zodiac) which takes us out of Gairloch and south towards Loch Torridon, enjoying the exceptional coastal scenery of the North Minch as we travel. We are dropped off at the remarkable harbour of Diabaig and the zodiac disappears! Our hike follows a coastal trail heading to Redpoint fishing station. The scenery is wonderful and, just before the end of the hike, we pass a gorgeous beach where we can enjoy a cooling paddle before jumping back into the van for the short transfer back to the hotel. (B, L) Walk details: 14.5km/ 9 miles | 410m/ 1345 ft ascent | approx. 6 hours Day 4 | Hiking Beinn Damph This morning we leave our first accommodation behind and transfer to our next accommodation in Torridon. The route from today starts right from the front door. Overlooking the shores of Loch Torridon are many splendid peaks, one of the best of which is Beinn Damh, which dominates the south shore of the loch. We start by hiking through pretty Scots Pine forest, next to a rumbling burn. We gain height quickly and soon break out onto the open slopes above. We then follow a broad ridge to the summit, where we are rewarded with an outstanding view north towards the Torridon giants of Beinn Alligin and Liathach. The descent follows the same route but enjoys glorious views north all the way back to the hotel where we settle in. (B, L) Walk details: 12km/ 7 miles | 980m/ 3210 ft ascent | approx. 6 hours Day 5 | Slioch - The Spear With our appetites whetted for the higher peaks, today we set out to ascend the mighty mountain of Slioch (which translates as The Spear). This magnificent peak dominates the landscape and to hike to its summit is a long and challenging day. However, it’s a rewarding route as we ascend into a high corrie and from there make the final pull up to the summit at 981m. We then enjoy a short ridge walk to a subsidiary peak, completing the circuit and enjoying views north across the Fisherfield wilderness before starting the descent. (B, L) Walk details: 19km/ 12 miles | 1170m/ 3840 ft ascent | approx. 8.5 hours Day 6 | A Peak of Our Own Sgurr Dubh (781m) boasts a commanding position at the head of Glen Torridon and is a rocky mountain of unanticipated interest and character. Starting by the river, we make our ascent of this rugged peak, taking in a remarkable mountainside gorge and exceptional views of the Torridon Munros. We then turn south and walk across a complex plateau to take in a second peak overlooking two fine high lochans. This is a rewarding and challenging hike, with great views - and we’re almost guaranteed to have it to ourselves. Back at the hotel, we enjoy a final night dinner and reflect on a great week in the mountains. (B, L, D) Walk details: 15km/ 9 miles | 1050m/ 3444 ft ascent | approx. 6 hours Day 7 | A Final High Point We make the most of our last day with a final foray into the hills. We head south and drive to the top of the Bealach na Ba pass - the highest road in Britain - to get a head start on our final peak. At the top of the pass, we set out to cross a ridge to the stunning peak of Beinn Bhàn (896m). From the summit we are gifted with an outstanding view down into the magnificent corries and ridges of this complex peak, and further afield towards the various mountains we have climbed over the past week. We toast the trip and return to the van for the transfer back to Inverness, where we arrive late afternoon. (B, L) Walk details: 11km/ 7 miles | 680m/ 2230 ft ascent | approx. 5 hours Trip Grading | Red 7 | Red graded walking holidays are suitable for fit and experienced hikers used to more challenging routes and rough terrain. The terrain will be varied but include rough hill tracks, boggy ground, boulder fields and mountain tops. You will need to be confident hiking on uneven ground for the day. There may be ridge walks or short non-technical scrambling so a good head for heights is useful. Daily distances will be 15 – 20km a day and often include an ascent of a major peak up to 3000ft / 900m high. Daily hikes are available in the itinerary. The weather in Scotland can be unpredictable and at times can make activities more challenging. Please do bear this in mind when thinking about what trip to join. If our guides feel that you are not able to complete a scheduled hike they may ask you not to join in that day. If you have any questions about the grading, then please do give our Adventure Consultants a call to chat through your experience and suitability for this trip. It is your responsibility to ensure you are appropriately fit and capable of doing the described hikes in the expected times. Please refer to the grading section on our website for more details. If you are unsure we encourage you to speak to us first. Accommodation and Meals We spend our nights in welcoming and friendly guesthouses and inns: the first three nights in Gairloch and the next three in Torridon. Accommodation is in twin or double rooms with en-suite bathroom facilities. Food is of paramount importance and our meals are prepared from the best local produce. We'll enjoy wonderful home-cooked meals each evening, with good, healthy portions. Naturally, vegetarians and other dietary requirements are willingly catered for - simply let us know at the time of booking. On this trip we generally eat dinner as a group however if you would like to make alternative arrangements you are free to do so. Your guide will have an evening off during this trip where they do not eat with the group. They will recommend options for dinner that evening and will help you make any necessary reservations. Single Rooms For solo travellers: Accommodation is based on sharing a twin room with another solo traveller of the same gender. A limited number of rooms for single occupancy are available on a first come first served basis, subject to a single supplement.