Beinn Damh from Torridon

Path at foot of Beinn Damh

Torridon is a small village at the northern head of Loch Torridon sitting around halfway on the A896 which travels from Lochcarron to Kinlochewe, part of the famed NC500 route (note that much of the A896 is single track road).

On the southern side of the loch is Annat and the Torridon Hotel. Parking for this route is available by the entrance to the hotel and by its Beinn Bar which is an excellent place to return after a hike up Beinn Damh to relax and mull the day over a pint.

Path junction at around 300m below Beinn Damh

From the car-parking area and facing the Beinn Bar, aim to the left of the main building and follow a signposted route along to a bridge over the Allt Coire Roill. Immediately over the bridge a three-way junction is met - a signpost indicates the direction to be taken, left up a rough pine-needle covered track.

The track climbs between felled rhodedendron bushes and meets up with a gate in a large deer-fence by the A896. Through the gate, cross the road and onto a fine path through a Scot's Pine forest.

Follow the path and after around 100m of ascent, keep an eye out for a loud tumbling waterfall - in summer this may be difficult to see through the green undergrowth - there is a view-point on the way, but take care as tree-roots crossing the path may be slippy when wet.

Shortly after the waterfall, the path comes out of the forest and at around the 200m contour, the path comes to a junction - keep right. Further uphill and at around the 350m contour, the constructed and maintained path comes to an end and a boot-worn but obvious path takes over.

With occasional cairns aiding navigation, the path continues onto Beinn Damh's crest from where a faint path then continues southwards.

Keeping to this path which climbs and contours around the south face of the minor summit of Creagan Dubh Toll nam Biast and therefore avoids most of the surrounding boulderfields.

The path rejoins the crest south of Creagan Dubh Toll nam Biast, where a narrow ridge is crossed followed by an easy walk up slabs, steps and boulders to gain the Beinn Damh's summit cairn sitting rather precariously above huge drops.

View from Beinn Damh's summit to Beinn Alligin

View from Beinn Damh's summit to Beinn Alligin

Returning along Beinn Damh

Return is by the same route.

Alternatively from Beinn Damh's summit, return along the crest and up to Creagan Dubh Toll nam Biast - beware that this is pathless and boulder-strewn !

From Creagan Dubh Toll nam Biast, either follow the bouldery north-west spur back to rejoin the path, or aim northwards and follow the crest down Glac Bhuidhe, keeping well to the west of Creag na h-Iolaire and descend on heather to rejoin the path lower down.

Waterfall below Beinn Damh

Beinn Damh is a cracking little mountain and one of my favourites in the north-west highlands.

It is not quite in the league of its higher Munro neighbours such as on Beinn Allgin, Liathach or Beinn Eighe. However, that lack of height can be an advantage - when I organised guided hiking events in Torridon, Beinn Damh was often used as a standby hill when cloud sulked on the nearby Munro summits, as often Beinn Damh's summit remained clear !