Meall a' Bhealaich Bhain

About Meall a' Bhealaich Bhain

Sitting between the wild reaches of Loch Monar and the rugged Strathcarron, this rounded summit offers a sense of deep isolation. Its terrain is typical of the Ross-shire wilderness—heathery and often boggy—but the reward is an intimate perspective on the towering peaks of the Monar Forest, particularly the sharp profiles of Lurg Mhòr and Sgùrr Choinnich.

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Did You Know?

• •The name translates from Gaelic as "rounded hill of the white pass." The pass in question, the Bealach Bàn, sits to the east and likely earned its name from the presence of light-coloured quartz or the tendency for snow to bank up there late into spring.
• •To the south, the summit overlooks the deep, lonely waters of Loch Monar, a reservoir that was significantly enlarged in the 1960s as part of the Affric-Beauly hydroelectric scheme.
• •The hill is situated in the heart of the Attadale Forest, a vast landscape of open moorland where you are far more likely to encounter red deer than other walkers.
• •The summit provides an excellent vantage point for inspecting the formidable northern ridges of Maoile Lunndaidh and the long ascent towards the neighbouring high peaks of the forest.
• •The "white pass" mentioned in the name refers to a clarity of light and stone that the surrounding expansive peat bogs do their absolute level best to hide from your boots.