2 Northern Highlands
REMOTE MUNRO SUMMIT
Klibreck’s a distant northern Highlands hill, with about two buildings within 20km. Happily for the hungry, both of them serve beer.
Maybe the Munros are getting a bit too busy? Well, Ben Klibreck is miles away in the far north, but without the glamour of being the northest-of-all (that’s Ben Hope). It’s a hill that hardly anybody goes up more than once. And when they do, it’s by the quickest possible route, straight up the steep side past Loch nan Uan.
Bag it quick, then hop up the road and bag Ben Hope – that’s the attitude if the Munros are a dreary task to get done as quick as you can and spend the rest of your life on the sofa. Which means that the longer, better route along the ridgeline is even less busy than the ‘almost nobody about’ that it would have been anyway. So linger over the preliminary top called Cnoc Sgriodain. Admire the huge empty views over Sutherland, the place that’s so bleak and peaty it’s in line for World Heritage status (even as the Lake District gets booted off the list for featuring too many tourist ziplines). Then enjoy the narrow path high above Loch nan Uan, and the slightly rocky summit.
And after a moderate day out (because you didn’t try to double-bag Ben Hope), there’s time for a relaxing evening in the pub at the bottom of the path. RONALD TURNBULL
1 NC532271 There’s verge parking just north of Vagastie Bridge. Start immediately south of the bridge, opposite the track serving a wind farm. A wet, peaty path through the heather leads just south of east onto the slope of Cnoc Sgriodain. As the ground steepens, the going gets drier. Head directly uphill, bending north of east to reach the summit plateau at a cairn. Take note of the cairn, as it’s the guide to the top of the heather path for your return journey. The summit cairn of Cnoc Sgriodain is just beyond.
2 NC551270 Follow the summit ridge gently down north-east towards a wide, peaty saddle. The best line here is along the right-hand edge of the level ground, above the south-facing slopes and views, and avoiding the peat hags. Head up east to a flat shoulder. Across this, a visible path continues up the steeper slope. The slope eases, then steepens again. At the 680m contour, and below another level shoulder, the path turns left.
3 NC569276 While
