UKC

I sprained my ankle 2-3 months ago and have not been out in the hills since. Getting very itchy feet and next week my husband and I are travelling up the West Coast from Oban to Ullapool and beyond. I feel like I can't be out that way without getting some time on the hills but I also don't want to do any more damage to my ankle while it's healing especially as I am going to be doing my summer mountain leader training in October.
Does anyone have any suggestions of any easy going hills along that way that aren't too steep/scree-covered (I reckon I could handle steepness if it was relatively smooth ground) or craggy? I know there are plenty of forest walks I could do but I'm missing the hills too much!

In reply to moonpie11:
Not West Coast but both Ben Hope and Ben Klibreck are very straightforward walks and very easily accessible from Ullapool if you go via Lairg and up to the Crask Inn for Klibreck and and a bit further North for Ben Hope. Neither should take longer than 5 or 6 hours up and down.
The Assynt hills are more rocky and boulder / scree strewn and should be avoided if you're nervous about your ankle.
Others with more knowledge than me can tell you about the Corbetts in that part of the North West.

In reply to moonpie11:
Meall a' Ghiubais,
NG976634
This has a well made path to 550m, if all is ok it's straightforward to the summit at 887m. Great view into Ben Eighe.

In reply to Gone for good:
Thanks I had thought about Ben Hope but haven't done it before so wasn't 100% sure. Hadn't looked at Ben Kilbreck or Meall a Ghlubais but will look at them now. Good to know there's a few possible options anyway.

Thanks!

In reply to moonpie11:



There's a great Iron age Broch to check out just South of Ben Hope. (Dun Dornaigil)
The Crask Inn is great for coffee and cake before or after a walk up Ben Klibreck.

In reply to moonpie11:

Possibly Skye, day return boat from Elgol to Coruisk and follow rough path round all or part of loch.
Possibly something in Red Cuillin from Sligachan. Must be other options on Skye
Seem to remember these are quite straightforward but I'm sure someone will reply if this is not so.

In reply to moonpie11:
Fionn Bheinn, great viewpoint if the weather's good

In reply to moonpie11:
Oban- Beinn Eunaich and Beinn a Chochuill are reasonably straight forward, initially steep off the landrover track and a wee bit rough at summit of Eunaich and beginning descent to col but generally OK.

Rather against expectation perhaps an ascent of the Buachaille up Coire na Tulaich is now almost entirely without problems on scree and rough rock because of the quality of the path construction in the corrie, only the very last few metres on the headwall are at all challenging. Similarly the ascent of the eastern end of the Aonach Eagach to the summit of Am Bodach is very straight forward.

East end of South Cluanie ridge Creag a Mhaim using the old road towards Loch Loyne

Ullapool- Cul Mor has a very good path most of the way up it and is pretty gentle thereafter.

If what you're looking for is mountain ambience then you could also do walks on decent stalker's paths or landrover tracks without approaching summits eg , the Chiarain path into Loch a Chiarain bothy from Kinlochleven, Coire McFhearchair on Beinn Eighe , around the back of Liathach or into the CIC from the north face car park.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Ended up going a couple of walks round Skye, including round the foot of the Cuillins which was great as before I had tore the ligament in my ankle I had planned to do these this summer so at least I got to look up at them! Also did Fionn Bheinn, glad I did as it was fine for my ankle and not really a hill I would have wanted to have travelled all that way to do if I wasn't already passing by, much more interesting ones in the area if I was going there solely for hills.