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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BEALACH, n. A narrow mountain pass. Cf. Beal, n.², Balloch, n.¹ [′bɛlɑx]Sc. 1917 Scotsman (26 May) 6/8:
The loch left, the steep ascent of the Ben commenced, the route at first being through a long narrow corrie, rather than a glen. . . . The bealach reached, sheep are in possession.Sc. 1920 M. I. Newbigin Ordnance Survey Maps (2nd ed.) 47:
When a well-defined arête has been produced, there is always a tendency for its lower parts to be broken by gaps, forming passes, sometimes very narrow, in the summit ridge. These gaps, to which the name bealach is given in Gaelic, afford means of crossing the ridge.Sc. 1926 W. J. Watson Hist. of Celtic Place-Names of Scot. 482:
Bealach, a pass, is found from Sutherland to Galloway, and is anglicised as Balloch [q.v.]. When Balloch stands for Baile-loch, “lochstead,” as it does, for instance, near Inverness, the stress is on the second syllable.Sc. 2000 Herald 16 Oct 15:
Having struck manfully ahead of the rest of us all the way up, this virgin soldier's glory came to an abrupt and hideous end the instant he spotted the edge of the steep scramble down to the bealach that links Ardrain to Stob Garbh.