Glen
Glen Torridon
Torridonian sandstone and ancient quartzite — the oldest mountains in Britain and some of the finest walking in the northwest.
- Munros
- 9
- Corbetts
- 9
- Grahams
- 3
- Bothies
- 1
- Highest peak
- Liathach - Spidean a' Choire Leith (1054m)
Glen Torridon carries the A896 between Loch Carron and Kinlochewe through the heart of Torridon — a landscape of immense horizontal-bedded sandstone mountains that are among the oldest in Britain, laid down 750 million years ago. Liathach (1055m) and Beinn Eighe (1010m) flank the glen to north and south: both are serious mountains requiring navigation skills, significant fitness and scrambling competence on their best routes.
Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve, established in 1951 as the first NNR in Britain, protects a fragment of ancient Caledonian pinewood in the lower glen and the remarkable quartzite upper mountain terrain. The NNR visitor centre near Kinlochewe provides good interpretation of the geology and wildlife. The mountain walking here requires respect — Liathach in particular is a serious undertaking in any conditions.
The road in
Single-track road etiquette
Pull into passing places to let oncoming vehicles pass. Don't park in passing places. If a faster vehicle is behind you, pull over and let them past. Do not reverse at speed — wait in a passing place.
Parking2 spots
Torridon village car park
20 cars
Free— Free — National Trust for Scotland
Main car park and NTS countryside centre. Maps and information available in the visitor centre. Start point for Liathach and Beinn Alligin.
Coire Mhic Fhearchair layby
6 cars
Free
Rough layby on the A896 at the Coire Mhic Fhearchair path start. Used for the most direct approach to Beinn Eighe.
Hills from Glen Torridon9 Munros · 9 Corbetts · 3 Grahams
Seana Mheallan
437m · 1.8km away
Liathach - Mullach an Rathain
1023m · 1.9km away
Liathach - Spidean a' Choire Leith
1054m · 2.7km away
Beinn Damh
902m · 3.3km away
Beinn na h-Eaglaise
735m · 3.5km away
Beinn Dearg
913m · 5.3km away
Maol Chean-dearg
933m · 6.0km away
Sgorr nan Lochan Uaine
871m · 6.2km away
Beinn Liath Mhor
926m · 6.4km away
Sgurr Dubh
782m · 6.6km away
Beinn Eighe - Ruadh-stac Mor
1010m · 6.6km away
Beinn Eighe - Spidean Coire nan Clach
993m · 6.6km away
Bothies1 in range
What's in the glen
Beinn Eighe NNR
Beinn Eighe was the first National Nature Reserve in Britain, designated in 1951. The reserve protects a remnant of Caledonian pinewood in the lower glen, the dramatic quartzite scree terrain of the upper mountain, and the outstanding Coire Mhic Fhearchair — a triple-buttressed corrie widely regarded as one of the finest mountain corries in Scotland. The visitor centre near Kinlochewe provides good geological and ecological interpretation.
Liathach ridge
Liathach (1055m) is one of the most impressive and serious Munros in Scotland — a 5km ridge of horizontally-bedded Torridonian sandstone capped with quartzite. The traverse involves sections of scrambling above significant drops. The Am Fasarinen pinnacles on the main ridge can be bypassed on a path below but the full traverse is a serious technical undertaking. Views from the ridge are exceptional — across to Beinn Alligin, down to the head of Loch Torridon, and west to Skye on clear days.
Our take
Torridon is where you go when you have done the Cairngorms and the central Highlands and you want something that feels genuinely different. The sandstone and quartzite landscape is unlike anything else in Scotland. Liathach is one of the finest mountain traverses in Britain — it is also a serious mountain day requiring scrambling ability and good navigation. Do not underestimate it.
History
Beinn Eighe became Britain's first National Nature Reserve in 1951, a decade before national parks were established in Scotland. The designation was driven by the exceptional ecological value of the remnant Caledonian pinewoods in the lower glen — ancient Scots pine of a type that once covered much of the Scottish Highlands but had been reduced to fragments by centuries of grazing, burning and felling.
The NNR also protects the remarkable geological sequence visible on Beinn Eighe itself — Torridonian sandstone below, Cambrian quartzite above. The sandstone is approximately 750 million years old, making these among the oldest mountains in Britain. The quartzite cap, lighter in colour, gives Beinn Eighe its characteristic pale upper ridges.
Practical
- Mobile signal
- Limited signal along the A896. No signal on the hill routes.
- Midges
- High(4/5)
- Public transport
- Westerbus service from Inverness to Torridon village. Infrequent — check current timetable.
Map
Hills (green), bothies (brown), parking (blue), wild swimming (light blue).
Nearby glens
Scotland outdoor updates
Route guides, condition reports and seasonal picks — once a month, no noise.