UKC

The Crask Inn rocks.

That is all.

https://thecraskinn.com/#post-20

Hope the new arrangements work out. Last stay there January 2017. Mike and Kai were as hospitable as ever.

I first went there June 3 2002, to climb Ben Klibreck in the afternoon after climbing Ben Hope in the morning. I'd started the day by packing up my tent and asking at the Altnaharra Hotel if I could buy breakfast. (I'd deliberately brought no camping stove--I wanted to give custom to local businesses.) They kept me waiting in the lobby for 25 minutes, then eventually they made up their minds, and refused to sell me even a cup of coffee! So I went up Ben Hope on an empty tum then drove over to Crask to climb Klibreck. They served me salmon steak for lunch, and strong coffee for my caffeine-withdrawal headache, and when I went to pay they said "It's all right, you can pay when you get back from Klibreck. You might want afternoon tea when you come back anyway." (I did.) And then they lent me a mountain bike to go up the track. Lent, not rented!

I hope the Altnaharra's changed in the last 16 years. I'm very glad the Crask hasn't.

Undoubtedly the best hotel I have ever stayed in.  A pity Mike and Kai have retired(??), but they deserved it.

(??) is right! Mike is now sheep farming! And Kai, I think, is still involved with the Inn, which now belongs to the Scottish Episcopal Church (because M & K gifted it to them). Pop in there and mebbe find Bishop Mark Strange of Inverness pulling the pints? I can certainly tell you that Kai still bakes a mean scone 

Ah good. The dogs at the Crack where quite remarkable too. I felt inferior physically ... and mentally.

Mike told us off for doing the two in a day!

 I felt inferior physically ... and mentally.

That's because you are. Me too. They're amazing dogs, and very good at warming up wet cold climbers by lying on top of them

Back in 2014 me and a bunch of mates (15 of us in total) drove up overnight from Cornwall to Tongue, ahead of starting JOGLE.

We drove past the Crask Inn at about 1030AM, stopped, reversed back and parked up. When we went inside to ask if they were open the reply was "We are now!". Great pub!

Its a long way, but I'll be back there one day.

N

"We are now": such a great attitude.

It was indeed. Mind you, I reckon they thought they'd hit the jackpot when a busload of thirsty blokes appeared at 1030 on a Saturday morning!

I remember another pub (The Jolly Roger?) in southern Ireland during diving trip over Easter 1993- I asked the landlord what time they closed?

"November!"

This is what took us to the Crask, by the way...

http://www.scottishwinter.com/?p=6749

Wow!

I'd never heard of the Crask until I passed it, very early in the morning, on my way up to the North coast last summer.  I'll be going that way again in a few months, will be sure to time it better and stop there next time.

Outstanding line.  And writeup.

You're right, it does.

I've been there maybe a half dozen times over the past few years going to and from Ben Hope and 3 attempts on Ben Klibreck. (Last summer was 3rd time lucky).The second time I was there there was a church service taking place, apparently it was the local venue for whatever version of Christianity was being preached. Episcopalian? There were always a very eclectic mix of clients not least me and the kids who enjoyed a few games of scabby queen sitting by the fire whilst waiting for our dinner to be served. 

Yes, it belongs to the Scottish Episcopal Church now--Mike and Kai gifted it to the Bishop, Mark Strange, when they couldn't sell it!

From my short experience of  a stay there , getting to know M&K, I'd imagine they couldn't sell it to anybody.

The Crask Inn is very special. 
Far away though. The ending of the film 'Local Hero', with the phone ringing unanswered in the public phone box .  The Crask does that feeling, for me, more than anywhere else in Britain.