On July 12, 2017
By Rebecca Field
walking holiday scotland: looking for a special place with a hint of wilderness? Spectacular scenery? Unique hikes?
Panorama of the Torridon skyline (taken by David Webster on a guided walking holiday with Scot Mountain Holidays
Are you thinking about going a walking holiday in Scotland? You’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed by the choice of options available to you. Of course, you might be influenced by images you’ve seen on social media. You’ve probably heard about Skye – the Old Man of Storr, the Quirang, the Cuillins. You’re toying with the idea of spending some time there. But Skye is suffering from the volume of tourists who are now adding it to their tour of Scotland.
An alternative is to consider one of the places along the North Coast 500, which is the new buzz route to take in Scotland. One of the best hiking spots along the route, where you can easily find walks to keep you happy for a whole week’s holiday is Torridon.
Where is Torridon?
Torridon is an area of outstanding natural beauty situated around the sea lochs of Torridon & Shieldaig and inland to Kinlochewe. Its combination of rock and water, changing seasons and moods make this an awe-inspiring place to visit
What is special about Torridon?
“There are records that show that Queen Victoria loved to travel the road between Torridon and Diabaig in the late nineteenth century. Accompanied by John Brown, amongst others, she described this area as a fine and wild uncivilised spot, like the end of the world, as she wrote in her diary, and she noted that “hardly anyone ever comes here”.” From Steve Carter’s historical perspective of Torridon and Sheildaig
Spectacular coastal views are a feature of walking in Torridon
The spectacular sandstone peaks of Torridon, over 2500 million years old (taken by Jim Smith on our Classic Torridon itinerary in 2008)
It’s not all rocky peaks in Torridon. There are also nature reserves to explore.
The weather’s not always perfect (it is Scotland) but can sometimes add drama to the scenery.
There’s unusual wildlife to spot as well in some spots.
What a panorama! Skye eat your heart out.
Where to eat in Torridon?
There’s the Torridon Inn of course but if you have your own transport and are prepared to put in a little more effort there is a delightful wee place to eat in Diabaig called Gille Brighde This is where we choose to go on the guided Classic Torridon walking holiday. If you’re prepared to travel a wee bit further or have the option of doing a linear walk you could also try the Applecross Inn, which features in our 6 pub walks blog
Why book a guide in Torridon?
Some of the peaks in Torridon are quite challenging and require a small amount of scrambling. Hiring a guide will mean that you will be as safe as possible and he or she will be able to keep you on track timewise so the day does not end up being an epic venture out. Your guide will also be able to interpret the weather forecast so as to make the best of the prevailing weather conditions. For more reasons on why it is beneficial to you to hire a guide read our blog
For other guided hiking options go to our home page for more details
Further reading:
http://www.stevecarter.com/ansh/history.htm
