On Saturday, Scottish hill runners Arron Sparks and Ella Peters successfully completed a long-distance route in the mountains of Torridon in north-west Scotland. After finishing the 61.5km “Torridon Mammoth”, with a total ascent of 6634m, Arron remarked: “I can see now why no one else has done this route in the last 26 years.”
History of Torridon Mammoth
It was on May 27, 1998, that fell running legends Wendy Dodds and Lawrence Sullivan undertook what is described on the Scottish Hill Runners website as “a mammoth 40-mile circuit with 20,000ft of ascent in Torridon”. The route takes in many Torridon giants including Beinn Alligin, Beinn Dearg, Liathach, the summits of Beinn Eighe, Meall a’Ghiubhais, Beinn a’Chearcaill, Beinn an Eoin and finally Baosbheinn.
Wendy, then aged 48, and Lawrence, aged 65, completed the route in 19 hours and 16 minutes.
Wendy, who is now in her 70s, said: “It was Lawrence who dreamt up the route. We were both members of Clayton le Moors Harriers and there was a tradition to do various Lake District rounds, but Lawrence liked doing something different.
“He planned it two years before but there was too much snow that year, then the arrival of a granddaughter snookered the next year
“Various supporters were lined up for earlier years, but this year there was only myself, Lawrence’s wife Jane and his daughter and son in law, with new granddaughter who met us at the top of the tourist track from Kinlochewe.
“We then missed Jane at our next two rendezvous, so were low on food, but carried on with supplies directed to Lawrence.”
Wendy remembers it as a great day out with many highlights, including seeing a golden eagle.
She added: “I recall we were on a wing and a prayer as we came off Liathach, over what seemed like a very steep boulder field with big scree which was covered with snow and ice.
“We also ate a tin of rice pudding at the top of the Kinlochlewe nature trail, shouting for Jane at our non-rendezvous and hearing a faint reply, which we thought that perhaps we were imagining. I recall, too, grabbing the crusts from honey sandwiches when Lawrence was throwing them away, as our supplies were dwindling.”
Wendy reveals she is pleased that other runners decided to do the same route. She said: “It is great that the round has been repeated. I am delighted that Arron and Ella followed in our footsteps as I was thinking of looking at the route when I am in Torridon next week, although I am no longer young enough to do it in one!”
Torridon Mammoth in 2024
Arron, 37, from Highland Hill Runners, was inspired to attempt the Torridon Mammoth after reading about Wendy and Lawrence’s round on-line.
He said: “I love the Torridon mountains and I enjoy reading about big mountain routes in Scotland. I came across mention of the Torridon Mammoth in a small area of the Scottish Hill Runners website that is dedicated to long-distance routes.
“I then did a Google search and read Lawrence’s article about the circuit in Fell magazine published in 1999.
“It didn’t take much to persuade my friend Ella, a member of the Westerlands “Westies” Hill Running Club, to join me in the adventure. I was able to plan the route by looking at what Wendy and Lawrence did and also by recce’ing some sections myself.”
On Saturday April 27 at 4.45am, the pair set off from the car park and journeyed to the Munro summits of Beinn Alligin, before taking an anti-clockwise route via the other high peaks, including Munros, Corbetts and Fionas. They took the most direct routes between the mountains where possible and often on very steep and exposed terrain.
Along the ridges, they were able to follow some more well-trodden trails, many of which have been worn by mountain baggers.
They finished the Torridon Mammoth in 21 hours and 14 minutes, although Arron confessed they had been hopeful of completing in under 20 hours.
Tough times in Torridon Mammoth 2024
The weather threw all the seasons at Arron and Ella, including hailstones, sleet, snow and rain, although it was sunny at times as well.
Arron said: “It was a long outing and with a great deal of steep and technical ascent and descent. We made steady progress but we did have to navigate in sleet and snow and at night-time, especially on the descent of the final mountain.
“Wendy and Lawrence were older than us when they did the circuit but they were clearly stronger. Their endurance is impressive.”
Ella described the route as “brutal”. Arron added: “It was very hard both physically and mentally.”
He added: “When we set out and reached the summits of Beinn Alligin, we could see our whole route laid out in front of us. It looked intimidating. It was hard mentally to see what we had to come.
“The weather was also very changeable and while we started in calm conditions and sunshine, we faced winter weather as well with two hours of sleet and snow. It was very cold at times.”
The scale of the feat also took its toll. Arron said: “There are many steep ascents and descents. It’s a big physical challenge and we became very fatigued towards the end.
“The final stretch was really hard because it was also dark and we had to really concentrate on where we were going. We had been on our feet a long time by this point.”
Highs on the Torridon Mammoth
The companionship of a joint challenge made the Torridon Mammoth attempt enjoyable. Arron and Ella have known each other many years through hill running and they both love a big mountain adventure.
Arron said: “It was an enjoyable journey with Ella and it was good have company. I also loved seeing our friend Luke Taylor when he joined us for a section of the route. He brought us much-needed food.”
A descent from Liathach took Arron and Ella directly down to a lochan. Arron said: “The lochan was located in an amazing location with high cliff walls. It’s not a place I’d been to before and few people will see it because it is not on the usual route to reach the summits of Liathach. It was such a beautiful discovery.
“We were also very lucky to see a white tailed eagle take off just 20 metres from us on Beinn Eighe. It was impressive. I have never seen an eagle so close before.”
They were both delighted to finish the Torridon Mammoth. For Arron, it is only his second longer distance mountain adventure.
He said: “The Torridon mammoth is my second ultra type challenge having completed the so-called Ring of Inverpolly, which is a circuit of seven summits in the wilds of Assynt. I would like to do more endurance distance adventures in the mountains.
“It would be great to see other people inspired to do the Torridon Mammoth, although I can perhaps see why no one has recorded a run of this route on the Scottish Hill Runners website. It is quite niche really and a big circuit for anyone to take on.”
Route: Torridon Mammoth.