📌 Tobha Mòr, South Uist
★★★
Beinn Mhòr is the highest summit on the Uists, and part of a rugged group of hills running down the eastern side of South Uist. Rough, pathless terrain belies the hill’s relatively low height, with fearsome bog defending against marauding walkers from the road to the west. Successfully tackle all this and the reward is a wonderful north ridge: narrow enough to be exhilarating, yet with no scrambling involved (unless you go looking for it), and no chance of crowds. The second highest summit on the island – Hecla – is included in this circuit, as well as the lower summit of Beinn Coradail which sits in between. The three separate summits result in well over 1,000 metres of ascent, and you’ll feel every single metre of it on the tussocky grass, bog and boulders. Potentially superb summit views were affected by pesky hill fog when we visited, but we’ve left a long photo roll below to give an idea of the typical terrain. Good luck!
📷 Chronological photo guide
Early views of Beinn Mhòr 
Lochan & moorland 
Red throated divers 
Looking back from the lower slopes of Beinn Mhòr 
A faint path aids ascent at first 
Into the mist 
Fleeting clearance on the north ridge of Beinn Mhòr 
Beinn Mhòr north ridge 
Beinn Mhòr summit cairn 
Beinn Mhòr north ridge, seen from the summit 
Cloud coming and going 
Looking southeast from Beinn Mhòr summit 
View east towards Loch Heileasdail and The Minch 
Typical terrain on descent from Beinn Mhòr 
Red deer in the mist 
Bealach Heileasdail 
Crags bar the direct ascent of Beinn Choradail 
Beinn Choradail summit cairn 
Western cliffs of Beinn Choradail 
Descent from Beinn Choradail is initially by a loose gully 
Loch Corodail below the cloud, from the bealach between Beinn Choradail & Hecla 
Typical terrain around the bealach 
Golden plover in the mist 
Approaching the summit of Hecla 
Hecla summit cairn 
Surveying the onward route from the foot of Hecla 
Landslip below Maoladh Creag nam Fitheach 
Hopping across the Glendorchay River – only two more, pathless miles left to go!
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on minor road immediately west of A865 junction, 1 mi south of Tobha Mòr, South Uist
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NF 767349
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.289829,-7.367728
🚌 Bus stops on A865
🚗 Layby
📝 Key info
▶ 19 km / 12 mi | ▲ 1210 m | ⌛ 8.5-9.5 hr
Features: △ Beinn Mhòr (620 m, “Torbett”); △ Beinn Choradail (527 m, sub-2000′ Marilyn); △ Hecla (606 m, sub-2000′ Marilyn)
⬤ Very tough | Track at first, then faint and very boggy path at first towards Beinn Mhòr. Also faint paths on Beinn Mhòr summit ridge and near summit of Hecla. Otherwise pathless, sometimes rough going and boggy areas. Jumping across Glendorchay River is usually straightforward but may be difficult in spate.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise lollipop circuit with extensions to Beinn Mhòr & Hecla: start – Mill Croft – follow track east to end – Maola Breac – Beinn Mhòr – return to 550m point on north ridge – Bealach Heileasdail – east-south-east (to avoid crags) then north to Beinn Choradail – descend briefly east then northwest down gully – bealach between Beinn Choradail & Hecla – northeast then east to Hecla – return to bealach – cross Glendorchay River below Maoladh Creag nam Fitheach – due west to rejoin outward route – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Two short-eared owls lower down, red throated divers and other ducks on lochan near start, red deer on descent from Beinn Mhòr, a few golden plover on Hecla, hen harrier on Beinn Choradail, sheep, frogs.
Weather: Overcast and foggy above 300m or lower, except for an unexpected clearance at the summit of Beinn Mhòr. Often dry but a couple of hours of drizzle on Beinn Choradail. Light winds, temperature in low to mid teens at base.
July 2019
