Bealach na Ba
Encyclopedia
Bealach na Bà is a historic pass through the mountains of the Applecross peninsula, in Wester Ross
in the Scottish Highlands—and the name of a famous twisting, single-track mountain road through the pass and mountains.
The road is one of few in the Scottish Highlands that is engineered similarly to roads through the great mountain passes in the Alps, with very tight hairpin bends that switch back and forth up the hillside and gradients that approach 20%. It boasts the greatest ascent of any road climb in the UK, rising from sea level at Applecross to 626 metres (2,054 ft), and is the third highest road in Scotland.
The name is from the for Pass of the Cattle, as it was historically used as a drovers' road.
The road featured in several episodes of the television series 'Hamish Macbeth
' (much of which was filmed in nearby Plockton
), which pictures it having a roadsign that indicates: "Narrow road - no more than three sheep abreast". The road also featured in the 1953 film Laxdale Hall
.
In recent years a pair of cyclosportive
cycling events has been staged in the surrounding region, and over the pass. The 70 km Bealach Beag event is in May, and the 144 km Bealach Mór is each September.
Wester Ross
is a western area of Ross and Cromarty in Scotland, notably containing the villages on the west coast such as:* Lochcarron* Applecross* Shieldaig* Torridon* Kinlochewe * * * Aultbea* Laide* Ullapool* Achiltibuie...
in the Scottish Highlands—and the name of a famous twisting, single-track mountain road through the pass and mountains.
The road is one of few in the Scottish Highlands that is engineered similarly to roads through the great mountain passes in the Alps, with very tight hairpin bends that switch back and forth up the hillside and gradients that approach 20%. It boasts the greatest ascent of any road climb in the UK, rising from sea level at Applecross to 626 metres (2,054 ft), and is the third highest road in Scotland.
The name is from the for Pass of the Cattle, as it was historically used as a drovers' road.
The road featured in several episodes of the television series 'Hamish Macbeth
Hamish Macbeth (TV series)
Hamish Macbeth is a television series made by BBC Scotland and first aired in 1995. It is loosely based on a series of mystery novels by M. C. Beaton . The series concerns a local police officer, Constable Hamish Macbeth in the fictitious town of Lochdubh on the north coast of Scotland. The titular...
' (much of which was filmed in nearby Plockton
Plockton
Plockton is a village in the Highlands of Scotland with a population of 378 .- Details :Plockton is a picturesque settlement on the shores of Loch Carron...
), which pictures it having a roadsign that indicates: "Narrow road - no more than three sheep abreast". The road also featured in the 1953 film Laxdale Hall
Laxdale Hall
Laxdale Hall is a 1953 British comedy film directed by John Elridge and starring Ronald Squire, Kathleen Ryan, Raymond Huntley, Prunella Scales, Fulton Mackay, and Jean Colin....
.
In recent years a pair of cyclosportive
Cyclosportive
A cyclosportive, or often simply sportive, is a short to long distance, organised, mass-participation cycling event, typically held annually....
cycling events has been staged in the surrounding region, and over the pass. The 70 km Bealach Beag event is in May, and the 144 km Bealach Mór is each September.