UKC

Just done it this Saturday. It is a great way to go up ben Hope. You need to have a head for heights though as the final 20 odd meters are really exposed.
It is also fairly technical and the rock when wet is greasy and slippery...it would be a long way down. No idea of scrambling grade but somewhere around easy and moderate.

Just go up the normal path at the start than head north on the plateau between summit and valley crag. Contourn the whole hill, rising traverse gets you onto the ridge (via steep grassy slopes and 1 gully all straightforward). Follow the ridge which is a normal walk until the step. It is avoidable via a gully on the left but surely missing all the goodness.

Anyway, just really enjoyed it, the view was amazing. I haven't been hillwalking in years! Might consider some of them hills again.

In reply to French Erick: There was an article on it in Scottish Mountaineer, looks a lovely way up the hill, glad you enjoyed it

In reply to French Erick: If you liked that you'd love Brown's Ridge, lovely long grade 3 scramble / Moderate thing that goes up the west face to meet the north ridge just before the point where that gets interesting. Details in the SMC scrambles book.

In reply to French Erick:

From SMC Journal 2010:

BEN HOPE:
Note: John Mackenzie & Eve Austin climbed the North Ridge to the “Bad Step” – same step as on Brown’s Ridge, and climbed it direct at Severe. Very Difficult possibly refers to going further on to the west face.

In reply to Andy Nisbet:
Aye, climbed it direct. Severe it was then...grade really doesn't matter much. It was wet and greasy and you need a good head if you're scrambling it. Thouroughly enjoyable.

Doubt I'd go back for the Brown's ridge. More likely to have a stab at some interesting way up Ben Loyal and have a nosey at marathon corner (for next winter).

Andy: Have you got any info on gog?