John at top of the Bealach na Ba
I made the climb up the Bealach na Ba yesterday en route to Applecross. The picture above was taken by a kindly motorist who stopped to take my photo! It gives an impression of the sort of climb it was, with the series of hairpins at the top and the long hill which drops away in the middle of the picture.
The climb starts at sea level and rises to 625m (2053ft) in around 5 miles. The views are just stunning, particularly from the top over to Skye and from Applecross.
We had been staying at Shieldaig for the weekend – my first visit to the village, and I thought it was a lovely place. I think we will definitely spend some more time there in the future, especially as it is so close to some incredible walking and mountaineering routes, too.
The warning sign at the start of the Bealach na Ba road
John Davidson's Guide to Walking and Cycling in Inverness and the Highlands
I'm a journalist in Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland who specialises in the great outdoors - including walking, cycling and mountaineering. I write a regular Active Outdoors feature for the Inverness Courier as well as contributing to other publications, including leading hillwalking magazine TGO.
