Beinn Eighe

Beinn Eighe is one of the peaks that defines the North West Highlands, and its great expanses of bare scree catching the sun make the south face an obvious target for anyone wanting a dramatic mountain environment to fly in. It is most commonly flown in very light southerlies or in nil wind. The col above Stuc Coire an Laoigh does not allow a launch facing due south, but it does let you launch either south-west or south-east — and since thermals tend to be drawn up one face or the other at different points of a sunny day, it is usually a case of waiting a little to get a feel for conditions before committing. A breeze often blows along the glen from Loch Torridon, in which case the south-west-facing launch, which is also the less committing of the two, is preferable.

Launch & conditions

The walk from the parking area is short but brutal: 2,500 ft of ascent in 2.4 km. The path is well marked and leads up past the plantation into Coire an Laoigh; once in the coire proper the way up is obvious, tackling the steep western slopes directly before emerging onto the col that separates the spur of Stuc Coire an Laoigh from Spidean Coire nan Clach (993 m). The col is grassy and forms a small but excellent launch area for either a south-west or a south-east departure.

Getting there & local rules

Easily reached from the A896, which runs the length of Glen Torridon from Kinlochewe to Torridon village. Travelling west from Kinlochewe, after 7.5 km look out for a small forestry plantation on the right-hand side of the road. A rough track leads towards it, where there is an information board and room for several cars. If that area is full, a much larger car park lies 2 km further down the road. Do not park in the passing places.

Local rules & hazards

This area lies inside the Highland Restricted Area and midweek flying is subject to strict restrictions. Wind direction can change rapidly once a sea breeze sets in — keep a watchful eye out for it if you are flying in the bowl of Coire an Laoigh, and avoid scratching too close to the rocky slopes. Landing is possible pretty much anywhere in the glen, but watch out for the power lines that run alongside the road.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Beinn Eighe, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Beinn Eighe with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.