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Walk up Ladhar Bheinn from Inverie

By Dave Roberts   

on November 18, 2018    3/5 (2)

Posted as a walk in – Europe, Fort William and Lochaber, Scotland

Walk up Ladhar Bheinn from Inverie

Route Essentials

Route Summary

A long and remote walk that will give you a taste of the Rough Bounds of Knoydart

See the end of the article for local information about parking, public transport facilities, pubs and cafes.

Distance

26.12 km

Ascent

1361 m

Time

8 hours or more

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Start Location

Inverie

Difficulty

Strenuous Walk

Hazards

Route finding can be tricky, with a few steep descents that need care.

Weather Forecast:

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?
Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need. 

Walk up Ladhar Bheinn from Inverie Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

View the full route map

Download file for GPS

Walk up Ladhar Bheinn from Inverie

Ladhar Bheinn is one of the three Munros on Knoydart that can be climbed directly from the hamlet of Inverie.

Walk up Ladhar Bheinn from Inverie Route Description

The account of this route is given more fully in the article – Escape from Knoydart – but here’s a summary.

1 – Start the route from The Old Forge and walking towards the pier you’ll find a good forestry track that leads uphill to the right. Follow this, past a recycling point but keeping left and passing a few discreetly built new houses.

2 – The track eases soon after the houses, and continues through the forestry, across a path junction that’s not shown on my map at any rate, and onwards onto open moors. The good track continues along the moors for another km before you turn right at Folach Gate and return into the forest, and follow the track. It soon leaves the forestry for a final time, and leads on to a decent bridge over the Allt Coire Torr an Asgaill and on past the ruins at Folach.

3 – At Folach, the path becomes fainter but easy enough to follow up to Bealach at An Diollaid. It also becomes progressively steeper as you ascend, with the final section leaving you almost tasting the mud in front of your face. However, it’s a straightforward slog that gets you up quickly.

4 – An Diollaid makes a good lunch stop if you’re in no rush, with views ranging from the Cuillin on Skye to the shapely Beinn Sgritheall across Loch Hourn. The path fades in and out for much of the remaining ascent, and it seemed that as soon as we rejoined it that it vanished again. So we decided to use our energies to set off for the skyline instead. Soon the ridge begins to narrow slightly, and you first find yourself with a sharp drop to the left. Once you reach the actual summit ridge, then it becomes nicely exposed on both sides.

5 – The summit ridge starts off at the trig point, but the actual summit is further along the ridge, though you can enjoy the views down towards the azure Barrisdale Bay from any point.

6 – On reaching the end of the ridge, you’ll find a clear but steep path descending on a roughly south easterly bearing. This is mainly a steep path, but involves a couple of near-scrambles and one bad step that posed more problems on our traverse as we were carrying large packs. The ridge continues to undulate as far as Bealach Coire Dhorrcail, with the ridge providing plenty of interest along the way.

7 – Those who place peak bagging above all else might find the next section pointless, as the peak of Stob a’ Chearcaill falls a few metres short of being a Corbett. Or rather, the previous bealach rises a few metres too high which means it fails to reascend by the magic 152.4m. This is an easy pull up, and the terrain becomes grassier, though still steep beyond.

8 – The descent from the ridge isn’t easy, and could pose some difficulties in mist. You need to contour under the lower eastern top along a narrow track which we followed in the hope it took us down! It certainly does, but not before a final loose and steep section to test you out. It’s now pure off path walking, avoiding bogs and trying to guess the best line towards Mam Barrisdale. If you possibly can, then continuing on to Luinne Bheinn and Meall Buidhe makes for an epic day.

Walk up Ladhar Bheinn from Inverie

9 – The path down from Mam Barrisdale is an excellent track, crossing many welcome streams on a warm day. Further down it does revert to a muddier, damper trail, but only for a short while and as soon as you reach Loch an Dubh-Lochain you’re almost home and dry. Except for an easy 8km yomp back to Inverie. There are a few junctions to the left along the way, but keep to the north of the Inverie River and you’ll be fine.

Local Information and Recommended Maps and Guidebooks

Route Summary:

A long and remote walk that will give you a taste of the Rough Bounds of Knoydart

This walk includes the Munro of Ladhar Bheinn

Route Start Location: Inverie

Distance
 Ascent
 Time
26.12 km 1361 m 8 hours or more

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Activivity Type: Strenuous Walk

Summits and Places on this Route

Facilities

Few – other than the Old Forge in Inverie.

Hazards

Route finding can be tricky, with a few steep descents that need care.

Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need.

Parking :

You won’t need your car on Knoydart!

Public Transport:

You’ll need a ferry to Knoydart from Mallaig which is served by the West Highland Line from Glasgow.

Traveline for UK Public Transport

Weather Forecast:

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?

Recommended Maps: 

Guidebooks:

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

More Posts by Dave Roberts

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