Sgurr a' Chaorachain, Beallach na Ba

The Hill - Sgur a' Chaorachain North Top

Summit of Sgur a' Chaorachain with patchy snow and mountains in background
View From Sgur a' Chaorachain North Top towards the South Top, North Shiel Ridge and Kintail in background.

Location: Applecross Peninsula, Scottish Highlands
Grid Reference: NG 78578 42403
Height: 773m
Classification: Corbett Top, Tump

The Walk

Ascent: 150m
Distance: 2.5km there and back (1.5 miles) 
Terrain: Rough track to radio mast then a few metres on rocky ground. 
Parking: Bealach na Ba view point [NG 7738 42635]
hand drawn map of Bealach na Ba and the track up Sgur a' Chaorachain
Bealach na Ba and Sgur a' Chaorachain Map


In order to get an excellent view all it is really necessary to do is drive up Bealach na Ba and park at the viewpoint. Of course, driving up Bealach na Ba is not for the fainthearted. In winter the road is frequently closed due to snow. Even when it is open, it has the steepest ascent of any road in Britain, and is single track and busy, so you need to be confident in your ability to reverse round hairpin bends if necessary before you set out. However, having surmounted these hurdles you get excellent views from the carpark/view point near the summit, looking out over Skye and Raasay. The only downside to this option is that the carpark and view point are often fairly busy with other people who are also admiring the view. 

So, for all the misanthropes out there, I highly recommend venturing up to the North Top of Sgur a' Chaorachain. This was the very first hill I climbed with the hill bagger, so it has a special place in my heart. But it also gives you a beautiful view inland which you won't see from the viewpoint. From the car park simply follow the road a short distance uphill to the track leading to the radio mast. 

Gate with track winding up hill to radio mast on Sgu a' Chaorachain
Gate to the path up Sgur a' Chaorachain

The gate is locked to keep cars out, but as there is no fence it is easy to circumnavigate. The path leads almost all the way to the summit, and I am confident that if you manage the track you will manage the last couple of metres over rocky ground to the summit. The car park was heaving the day that we visited, but we were the only ones on the path. I particularly enjoyed looking down on the steady stream of matchbox sized cars beetling along below me. 

The Hill Bagger admiring the view of the Trotternish Ridge from the track.

Be aware that although the walk is fairly short, and the climb from the road is only 150m, you are very high up by the time you reach the summit. So it will probably be cold and almost definitely will be windy. The hill-bagger wasn't used to quite how slowly I walked at this stage and was very glad that I had a spare hat in my jacket pocket! We abandoned plans for a picnic at the summit and continued down to Applecross where the weather was significantly more clement. 


The Hill Bagger and I on the summit of Sgur a Chaorachain March 2018 (note wind, snow and woolly hat)


Me and the Hill-Bagger, Applecross, the same day (note lack of jackets and hats, and the beginnings of sunburn)

All in all a most satisfactory small hill and well worth the effort!

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