My wife had a week booked off work so we decided to go for one last family camping trip before the school holidays ended. But where to go? The forecasts were dismal, and we chopped and changed our minds a couple of times before deciding to spend the first two nights in the Findhorn valley, at a low key campsite pitched amongst larch trees, and take it from there. We spent half a day walking along the impressive Findhorn Gorge in the rain, before tea and scones and a trip to Findhorn village on the coast. A mixed day.
The forecast for the rest of the week was for sunshine and showers, so the next day we decided to chance it and head for Durness, hoping to fit in a days walking in the wonderful mountains of the far north west before we had to return. The drive north from Ullapool must be one of the best in Britain - a good road sweeping in and out of glens, with the mountain scenery just getting better and better - Ben Mor Coigach, Cul Mor, Cul Beag, Stac Pollaidh, Suilven, Canisp, Quinaig… this surely must be God's Own Country. The road eventually turns into single track, so I had to tear my hungry eyes away from Foinaven and Arkle as we headed over the hill to the exposed Sango Sands campsite at Durness. Cracked a pole of the family tunnel tent as I was pitching it - nothing serious, and easy to replace, but serves me right for buying a budget tent - plastic windows, for goodness sake!
Thursday 16th August 2018 Weather blustery but bright so off we went. It took us an hour to drive around Loch Eriboll and down the side of Loch Hope to the southern end of Ben Hope; the roads are mostly single track. Loch Eriboll is very dramatic, part of a primeval landscape made up of ancient rocks, and we caught our first glimpse of Ben Hope across the water, standing apart from the other hills.
First view of Ben Hope across Loch Eriboll; Ben Loyal to the far left
We did not stop at the usual start point, where there is a car park, but drove on to the small settlement of Alltnacaillich, a mile or so to the south. On the hill at around 1030. We passed a small hydro scheme and crossed a burn before following a bulldozed track up the hillside to the east; this soon turned into a decent path, which took us up past a waterfall onto the moorland above. Fine views unfolding to the north.
Fine views unfolding to the north.
After crossing the burn, we struck off over heather and grass to gain the crest of the broad Leithir Mhuiseil ridge, where there was a faint path. The ridge was easy going, and gave us superb views to the south - Ben Hee at the end of a line of rugged hills stretching westward, and Ben Klibreck standing in glorious isolation to the SE. Ahead, to the north, we had a foreshortened view of Ben Hope, with wisps of cloud wreathing the top. A heavy shower was racing across the glen so it was out with the waterproofs; thankfully we had our backs to it, and it passed after twenty minutes or so.
Figures in a landscape - Ben Hee to the left; trouble coming our way from the right!
A distant view of majestic Ben Klibreck
Clouds on top of Ben Hope, with a distant view of the North Atlantic to the left.
The ridge joins the normal route of ascent after crossing a small burn, and the hard work began. We met our first walkers of the day, on their way down (in all we met at most a couple of dozen people on the hill; what a contrast to
Ben Nevis last month). The path traversed eastwards across a steep slope for a short while, before tackling the slope directly; this section was rather loose.
The slope eased but we entered the clouds, and I had to reign my 11 year old son in - I didn’t want to lose him in the mist! The wind picked up as we climbed, and it started to feel a lot colder. I was very conscious that my son could easily get hypothermia, so we stopped to put on some extra layers, and to eat fudge. But he was enjoying himself; I gave him the dog, and she pulled him up the hill; in fact at one stage he was running between cairns!
Close to the edge
Although Ben Hope is not the highest of hills in Scotland, it is still a big hill and the climb starts only a little above sea level, so there is a lot of work to do, and the slopes seemed to go on forever through the mist. Eventually though, the gradient lessened and we passed an unusual fin of rock protruding from the bouldery slopes; I took note of this for our return.
And then the trig point appeared out of the mist; were we pleased to see it! After the obligatory summit photo we took shelter in the stone circle behind the trig point and had our lunch. Some fellow walkers arrived, along with their mascot - a golden skull!
The mist refused to clear and I didn’t want to hang around in case we caught another heavy shower; this time it would be in our faces, so we prepared to head down. I thought that I would take a bearing just to be on the safe side, and made an unpleasant discovery - my ‘old faithful’ compass that I have had for over three decades was all over the place! Luckily I had caught sight of the fin of rock through a momentary thinning of the mist, so we were able to head off in the right direction. I don’t think that we would have been in much danger though, it would have quickly become apparent had we taken the wrong direction as the ground falls away steeply on all sides except the south.
The clouds soon cleared as we descended, and we were once again able to enjoy the spectacular views to the south and west, a delightful jumble of rough mountains - a true wilderness. The view over the western face of Ben Hope was spectacular too, down to Loch Hope, with a glimpse of the North Atlantic beyond.
View back up the hill; the clouds clearing. Loch Hope and Loch Eriboll to the left.
Rather than retrace our steps down the southern ridge, we followed the main path down to the car park; better in descent than ascent as it is quite eroded in places. This took a turn to the north west at one stage, giving a fine view of the precipitous west face, before doubling back and following the slopes above a turbulent stream, with many cascades and pools at the bottom of a ravine.
Lonely Strath More, with Ben Hee and a tangle of rugged hills beyond.
The west face of Ben Hope
Descending beside the stream. Not hot enough for a swim, unfortunately.
The walk back along the minor road to our starting point was pleasant, below native birch woods and the crags of the southern ridge that we had ascended, and past some impressively large boulders that had crashed down from them. An easy last mile or two is always welcome; a chance to relax and chat about the walk, and about walks to come.
A view back along the road towards Ben Hope - just before the midges struck!
Our reverie was interrupted as we passed a pine plantation near our starting point - the midges were out with a vengeance! Such was our desire to escape them that I forgot to take a look at the Dun Domaigil broch a short distance to the south. But we were rewarded by a particularly fine view of Ben Hope that I spotted in the wing mirror as we retreated down the minor road above Loch Hope - so good that I had to stop.
What a mountain!
A true ‘Quality Mountain Day’ - I don’t know what the essence of a mountain is - steepness, isolation, prominence, ruggedness, whatever - but Ben Hope has it in spades.