Bealach na Ba, Scotland
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Bealach na Ba snakes up from
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(Pic: James Creegan / Creative Commons)
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Bealach na Ba, Scotland
There is no better place to start than the UK’s toughest climb – Bealach na Bà.
The north-west approach from Tornapress to Applecross rises from sea level to 631m – nearly ten kilometres at an average gradient of 7%. It’s not long by Alpine standards but, with hairpins touching 20 per cent in the closing kilometres, it is as tough a test as you will find on these isles.
The climb’s difficulty comes also in its location in the remote Western Highlands but the Scottish wilderness only adds to its beauty. The landscape will leave you open-mouthed while your lungs gasp for air.
Vital statistics
Length: 9.3km
Average gradient: 7%
Start elevation: 5m
End elevation: 631m
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