Tom na Gruagaich
📍 Scotland , Highland · Nearest city: Ullapool (44 km)
18 XC score / 100 · takeoff at 880 m · 📍 View on map
Coordinates and external links
57.57760, -5.58630Takeoff orientations
Green = good orientation · Yellow = possible · Gray = not suitable
Why this site has thermal potential
| Factor | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Hotspot density (5 km) | 0 | Low |
| Avg thermal probability | 0.00 | Based on thousands of aggregated IGC flights |
| Solar orientation | 0.57 | Slope faces south in northern hemisphere |
| Own flight history | 0.00 | Thermals detected in platform IGC tracks |
Takeoff description
From the car park beside the Abhain Coire Mhic Nobuil, cross the road and follow a good path up the west side of the stream. The path crosses the deer fence at a stile and continues up the hillside to where the stream issues from Coire nan Laogh. Here the path zig-zags up the east side of the stream, before steepening for a final climb up onto the flat summit plateau. It is possible to launch from the plateau facing a variety of directions from west through south to south east, from anywhere around the 880m mark. The south east facing launch, straight over the cliffs that line the backwall of Coire nan Laogh is very committing.
Rules and notes
Tom na Gruagaich is in the Highland Restricted Area (HRA) and midweek flying is subject to strict restrictions.
Pilot comments
Beinn Alligin is the most westerly of the Torridonian munros and, depending on who you listen to, the gaelic name means either ‘The Jewelled Mountain’ or ‘Mountain of Beauty’. Either translation does this mountain justice and on a clear day the panorama from the summit of Tom na Gruagaich (922m) is outstanding - taking in Sgurr Mhor, easily identifiable by the huge cleft of Eag Dhubh; the Horns of Alligin, famous for their vertigo inducing ridge top scramble; the mighty Beinn Eighe and the peaks and corries of Liatach. Given the energy required to get to launch, a trip up Beinn Alligin with a bag full of paraglider is only likely to appeal to the very enthusiastic, however those who have made the effort have not been disappointed! Tom na Gruagaich is not a site that has been flown regularly, but, as with any of the big mountain launches, the best conditions for a flight here are very light or nil wind conditions. The launch options described cover anything from a west through to south east wind direction and so, given a suitably benign day, it’s very much a case of suck it and see!
Nearby sites
Liathach (14) · Beinn Eighe (14) · Beinn Bhan (10) · Coire a Chaorachain (2) · Beinn Liath Mhor (2) · Bealach na Ba (3)