Ben Shieldaig NW Top

About Ben Shieldaig NW Top

Rising steeply above the white-walled village of Shieldaig, this rugged Torridonian sandstone outpost offers a wilder experience than its modest height suggests. The terrain is a complex maze of heather, rock, and hidden lochans, providing a spectacular vantage point over the ancient pines of the Shieldaig Forest toward the sea.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Gaelic 'Beinn' and the Old Norse 'Sild-vík', meaning 'Herring Bay mountain', a nod to the Viking seafaring heritage of the Wester Ross coastline.
• •The lower slopes host the Shieldaig Pinewood, a Site of Special Scientific Interest containing a rare remnant of ancient Caledonian Forest where native Scots pines have survived for centuries.
• •From this northwestern shoulder, the view is dominated by the silver expanse of Loch Torridon and the massive, tiered sandstone ramparts of Beinn Alligin rising directly across the water.
• •The summit plateau is famously 'knobbly' Torridon terrain; despite the modest altitude, the lack of defined paths and the repetitive rocky troughs make it a surprisingly easy place to lose your bearings in a mist.
• •While technically a subsidiary top, this point offers the most direct 'aerial' view of Shieldaig Island and its own colony of Scots pines sitting in the middle of the loch.