The Beinn Bar (The Torridon), Achnasheen

It was a marvellous drive getting to this remote hotel bar from Inverness, but we thought that we'd struck unlucky on arrival, with a note on the door stating that they were closed due to a staff meeting. Luckily, a member of staff stacking plastic chairs on a verandah informed us that they were still open, allowing us to get out of the rain. Inside, there is a cosy bar area and a small conservatory with maps of the local area lining the walls. 3 real ales were on - Orkney Northern Light & Dark Island & Isle of Skye Skye Gold. I've always enjoyed Dark Island on previous visits to this neck of the woods. But I wasn't overly impressed with my half on this occasion. The high price didn't help. I later read that they offer a CAMRA discount. It certainly wasn't offered. There was no real cider. Nevertheless, this remote hotel bar is in a lovely location and I'd still recommend a visit.

The inn is part of the hotel and "activities" complex, with its own car park (second on the right if approaching from the village). Once inside, an attempt has clearly been made to recreate the sort of old fashioned highland pub that would normally be found inside an ancient stone building with oak beams. There is wood everywhere: floor, walls, ceiling, the lot. And local music on the sound system; don't say you haven't been warned. Service, as mentioned in a previous review, is clearly by hotel staff. The bar (also wood) has half a dozen hand pumps, with local beers, in so far as anything is local in the vast area of the Highlands. Cairngorm Tradewinds and Highland IPA, An Teallach Beinn Dearg and Suilven, Orkney Dark Island and Strathcarron Red Cow. Respectively 78 miles, 59 miles, 179 miles (and a ferry crossing) and just 30 miles away. I went for the Red Cow, to compare with the same beer at the Kinlochewe Hotel earlier, and the Beinn Dearg which I can remember drinking on previous Highland cycle tours. Both were in very good condition. I was contemplating going for a third half when suddenly the rain stopped so I got back on my bike. (It started again two minutes down the road.) Date of visit: 11th September 2017

Real ale page on The Torridon Inn website - www.thetorridon.com

Real ale page on The Torridon Inn website - www.thetorridon.com

Modern style bar in a newish building next to the rather posh Torridon Hotel and it looks like the staff are shared between the two. It sits at the end of Glen Torridon, nestling under cliffs and with views across Upper Loch Torridon towards Ben Alligin and Liathach. The front door leads to an unmanned, reception desk with a door on the left leading to a conservatory with a pool table and tables and chairs; to the right a door leads into a restaurant. Going through each of those rooms takes you into two other bars, the left hand one being more of a public bar with leather sofas and a counter with two pulls serving beers from An Tealach. The right hand bar is an extension of the restaurant but less formal, the counter has a few kegs taps and two unused pulls. Old pine wainscoting with an eclectic collection of pictures and photos, the names and height of various “Monroes” are written on the upper walls rather than the usual tosh. The beer is in fine condition and as said above the staff seem to have escaped from the posh hotel next door.