Beinn a' Bhathaich Àrd

Beinn a’ Bhathaich Àrd is a mountain on the northern side of Glen Strathfarrar in the Highlands. It stands at the eastern end of the glen, five kilometres north-west of Struy and sixteen kilometres west of Beauly. The hill is not the tallest in the glen but its position makes it a visible landmark. From much of The Aird, Inverness and the Kessock Bridge the mountain can be seen clearly. Its broad slopes rise above the valley floor, giving it a commanding presence. The climb usually starts from the hamlet of Inchmore at the foot of Strathfarrar. The path winds through open moorland and follows the Allt a’ Bhathaich burn upwards. The route is steady and well-defined, with no technical sections. Walkers pass through heather and grassland that change with the seasons. The summit offers wide views across Strathfarrar and towards the distant hills beyond. From the top the landscape stretches in every direction. The glen below appears as a ribbon of green between the flanking slopes. On clear days the Firth of Beauly and the Moray Firth can be glimpsed to the north-east. The Kessock Bridge and the hills of Easter Ross stand out against the horizon. The return follows the same path, giving a satisfying round trip of about ten kilometres.