© Copyright Dominic Rhodes 2014-2017

Ben Hope (photo credit Flickr user Paul Wordingham)

Meaning - Hill of the Bay (Norse origin)

Summit Location - NC47753, 50139

Height - 927m

Munro Number - 257

Distance - 13.3km

Total Ascent - 895m

Time - 2hrs up, 1hr30 down

Difficulty - 2/5

OS Explorer Map - 447

Climbed - 2012

Weather: overcast at about 600m with showers of rain, one particularly heavy.

As the northernmost Munro, to get to Ben Hope you have to head deep into the emptiness of Sutherland. I'd had a go at this mountain a few years back in winter, but had to turn back at around 2/3rds of the way up given deteriorating weather and a dubious looking avalanche-prone snow pack. I decided to try again in summer.

I managed to get a reasonably early start as I'd camped overnight in Tongue, which I'd highly recommend as the view out over the beach is stunning. The road to the mountain is amazing, whichever way you approach it you have around 15 miles on a road that's little better than a farm track (complete with weeds growing up through the middle of the road). 

Given that it was my first outing since the purchase of my new Norrøna shell jacket I wasn't too sad to see it raining when I arrived at the small car park. I was pleased with my investment, on reaching the summit some very heavy rain had set in, so heavy it felt almost hail like. Given the weather, I didn't stop long. 

In descent I slipped in the mud, taking the orange glow off of my nice new jacket. Nevertheless, I received some nice compliments on it from passing walkers in ascent, one of whom remarked that it was the brightest thing they'd seen all day! The comments were good to hear, first I'd ordered it in green and then in blue - when the orange one arrived it took a while to decide that I was happy with it.

Taking care with the remainder of the descent I soon reached the car park. By now the skies were clearing, enough to get some decent views of Ben Hope during the drive towards Durness. 

Unfortunately, no photos from this trip, I think I’d left my camera in the car!

Route

1 - Start at the car park at Muiseal, about 3km south of the southern end of Loch Hope. It’s on the minor road between Hope Bridge and Altnaharra. The path up the western slopes of Ben Hope is easily spotted.

2 - The going is rather steep at first. You ascend by a burn and you’ll see a number of waterfalls. The track may be quite wet in places and very muddy. 

3 - On reaching the col, the path veers north to ascend the ridge to the summit, gradually becoming less steep and less wet and muddy. After about 1.5km you’ll be on the summit, which is marked by a trig point.

4 - Return by way of ascent.

Ben Hope