UKC

Mountain recommendations in highlands?

Hi, I’m planning to take my dog on a flying visit round scotland, leaving from wales, probably with a one/ two night stay in the lake district on the way up, also planning to visit a friend in Perth on the return. Have 14 days, but has to include driving up there (unless bus/ train it?).


On list is:

Nevis, just ‘cos.
Spend a few days doing mountains in highlands
Drive along coast roads up to Thurso and do a really far north mountain
Possibly a couple beach walks


Whilst I like scrambling I can’t really take my dog, so need safer routes, nothing similar to crib goch for example. He’d probably manage it, but knock people off on the way…
Love ridge walks, and views of the sea. Will probably run some bits. Can use a map, and go out in Snowdonia quite a bit. Dog is sheepdog, so pretty agile. Almost wondering about leaving car in one spot, and doing a really long route over a few days.

Recommendations of your favourite routes please? Don’t care about peak bagging, or how high they are. Prefer proper mountains with interesting bits, not “overachieving hills”.

Preferably some without hundreds of tourists?

thank you

In reply to neon:

If the weather is clear you get a great view across northern Scotland from the top of Ben Klibreck.

Stac Pollaidh (will be busy but it's unique)
Suilven

You can't go wrong really - it's all beautiful

In reply to neon:

If you get right up to the far north, Ben Loyal is a great mountain with scope for interesting circuits and scrambles on the various tors/summits. On our trip, we came down the north ridge of the Sgor a' Chleirich top which was steep scrambling with 'interesting' route finding in parts. It's the second-from-the-right top in this view http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1925151 Ben Hope has a good but easy scramble up its north ridge (IF you take the bypass gully for the Bad Step, which is intimidating and has appalling consequences if you or Muttley fluff it!).

In reply to neon:

Buachaille Etive Mor in the Coe and An Teallach in the Northwest are both amazing mountains in my opinion....

In reply to neon:

chocolate mountain definitely on list. will be renamed the chocolate hill when i leave

thanks for the suggestions, i'm looking up pictures of them all and picking some. want to have a number of options planned, then can choose depending on weather.

In reply to neon:


That's the essential point covered, then! (I'd second the recommendation, by the way...)

For the minor issue of actual rock-and-mud hills, I reckon a good off-the-top-of-my-head circular itinerary of obvious classics would be:
Lochnagar
Braeriach
Ben Wyvis (on a clear day)
Foinaven
Quinag
Beinn Alligin
Bruach na Frithe
South Shiel Ridge (or part of it)
Ben Nevis
Buachaille Etive Mor
Plus probably somewhere in the W Highlands, but I don't really know the area.

On the other hand, better advice might be to pick one area to do in more depth with less driving, and come back for the others later!

In reply to neon:

ps does anyone have idea of driving times? both up from wales, and within highlands?

In reply to neon:

Single track roads (most of Thurso - Durness) can take quite a bit of time if it's busy. The independent hostel in Durness (Mackay Bunkhouse or whatever it is called, just off Spar/wee petrol station) is worth every penny, just in case you need to get your stuff dried out.

P.s. Stop for a fellow hitch-hiker if you see one. I used to read a book between cars and covered quite few miles on foot as well.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

East and West of Loch Shiel and Rois Bheinn group. Low chance of meeting other walkers, dog friendly (took mine), great views, interesting terrain and a bothy nearby. A brilliant area. Also loads of options on the north side of the A830, e.g Gulvain, Streap, Sgurr an Utha, Sgurr Thuilm.

In reply to neon:
No match for crag id:13025 The antidote to bagging.

In reply to neon:

Foinavan and Arkle are amazing in the far NW. Slightly south and you have Quinag, An Teallach and then down in Torridon there's Beinn Eighe. If you fancy a longer walk in then there's also Slioch the other side of Loch Maree. All are stunning mountains with amazing views. Ben Hope up on the north coast isn't an impressive mountain to look at but again, the views are pretty amazing and do make you feel very remote.

In reply to neon:
thanks so much for all these suggestions. think the decision is nevis, than stay for 5 days in the same place in the Torridon area, then a few days in the north, with hopefully ben kilbreck as one. really like the look of some of the torridon area.

In reply to neon:

You've posted exactly the thread I was going to post! I'm planning on taking a week off this summer and heading up to Scotland with the dog and the missus to do some walking/easy scrambling and camping. I've only ever been up in winter once before and never had the dog with me either so wasn't sure what to do. I'll take some of these ideas and put a plan together!