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Far north of Scotland: dog friendly scrambles

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 Flinticus 13 Jul 2020

May be heading up towards Arkle and Ben Hope region shorlty.

Any easyish scrambles for one man and a collie?

Ta

 Mark Bull 13 Jul 2020
In reply to Flinticus:

I don't think there is a lot that fits the bill - perhaps the A' Cheir Gorm ridge on Foinaven? 

 alan moore 13 Jul 2020
In reply to Flinticus:

I remember doing the an teallach  traverse as a teen and being overtaken by a shepherd type in wellies with a collie dog...

 Iain Thow 13 Jul 2020
In reply to Flinticus:

Second Dionard Buttress on Foinaven might be ok with a dog, Grade 1, pretty easy angled and with grassy ways round pretty much everything. Exposed at the top though. The deer go up it so I guess a collie can.

North Flank of Ben Stack is Grade 3 but it's disconnected outcrops so a collie should be able to just go round them. The scrambling itself isn't exposed but bits of it are quite hard.

The easy slabs and grassy ramps up left from the lochan in Foinaven's Coire Ghrannda (well left of Ganu Mor Slabs) should be fine, pretty easy grade 1 although the grass at the top is steep. Stunning place even if you don't do any scrambling.

The first stream left of the wood on the usual way up Arkle has some fairly easy scrambling, with lots of easier canine ways available.

Have fun

 Dogwatch 14 Jul 2020

Sorry if teaching grandma to suck eggs here but I'd be careful about taking dogs onto scrambling territory. They are liable to bound happily upwards but freak out when it comes to getting down again. A bit like us really.

OP Flinticus 14 Jul 2020
In reply to Iain Thow:

> Second Dionard Buttress on Foinaven might be ok with a dog, Grade 1, pretty easy angled and with grassy ways round pretty much everything. Exposed at the top though. The deer go up it so I guess a collie can.

> North Flank of Ben Stack is Grade 3 but it's disconnected outcrops so a collie should be able to just go round them. The scrambling itself isn't exposed but bits of it are quite hard.

Any approximate section better? The OS map shows a lot of crags / outcrops 

> The first stream left of the wood on the usual way up Arkle has some fairly easy scrambling, with lots of easier canine ways available.

Is that Allt Eason an t-Siabaidh, the stream hitting the 100m contour line, at NC 31243 43273

& many thanks for your suggestions

 Lankyman 14 Jul 2020
In reply to Flinticus:

The NW ridge of Ben Stack has some easy scrambly bits that your dog would manage. The summit ridge is quite narrow too. I thought Loch na Seilge looked like a cat so Rover might find this interesting too?

 ScraggyGoat 14 Jul 2020

Cranstackie has broken easy scrambling with lots of variation at the entrance of Strath Dionard, the dawg could easily walk round all difficulties and give you a lick in the face every time your head popped up.  The lower rock is immaculate and low angled, then a good bit of uphill fitness training leads to the summit block which is steeper and very shattered so treat holds and blocks with suspicion.  Obviously not classic continuous scrambling, or even in any guide, but a relaxed day out, with good views of Fionaven and an ill-frequented hill to top out on.

Post edited at 15:08
OP Flinticus 14 Jul 2020
In reply to ScraggyGoat:

>  the dawg could easily walk round all difficulties and give you a lick in the face every time your head popped up. 

Last hill pre-Lockdown, I was struggling up a chossy gulley with some old hard snow at the top exit, and my dog, Kelp, appears at the top out, looking down and starts yapping in a mxture of excitement and 'hurry up!' I did not need that!

 Iain Thow 14 Jul 2020
In reply to Flinticus:

Yes that's the right Arkle stream, the scrambling isn't anything special but it's a nice place and everything tricky is avoidable if the dog needs to.

Second Dionard is at 359 482. Assuming you come up Strath Dionard, pass under the obvious huge First Dionard Buttress above the head of the loch, ignore the right-slanting ramp just left of it (dead end) and take the next (bigger) ramp along, between two layers of vertical cliff. The edge of the ramp above the lower cliff is quartzite slabs, further in it's grassy. It takes you to a nice perch on the top of First Dionard, then outcrops and deer tracks lead up to the top and you can come back along the main ridge. It's a cracking day out (best part of 30km).

Ben Stack N Flank just go up the usual track to 350m, traverse left and pick outcrops as you fancy. The second vague buttress along is about the best. I've done it with a couple of friends, one a non-climber and he went round all the outcrops with no problem so the dog should be fine. You can make it any grade you want.

OP Flinticus 18 Jul 2020
In reply to Flinticus:

Never made in Far North. Weather forecast better eastern Cairngorms around Loch Builg.


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