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WALK ONE

Ben Hope and Ben Loyal

Start/Finish	Track entrance off the Tongue–Kinloch road (NC 554 526); limited parking in laybys N and S of here
Distance	33.5km (21 miles)
Ascent	1800m
Time	12hrs
Terrain	The Moine Path gives an easy start, but thereafter the low ground is predominantly boggy and pathless. The north ridge of Ben Hope is steep and rocky with some modest grade 1 scrambling higher up; the infamous Bad Step (a rock climbing pitch) is easily bypassed. Ben Loyal is gentler and grassier underfoot, although several of its summit tors provide optional scrambling.
Maps	OS Landranger (1:50,000) 9 & 10; OS Explorer (1:25,000) 447
Transport	Bus from Thurso to Tongue; no public transport to the start of the walk
Accommodation	Tongue YH (01847 611789)
Summits	Ben Hope 927m (‘hill of the bay’, Norse); Ben Loyal 764m (possibly ‘law mountain’, Norse)
Sleeping Out	Good camping beside any of several lochans under the east flank of Ben Hope, and also near the ruined cottage at Dithreibh (NC 541 469)
Seasonal Notes	The north ridge of Ben Hope needs some care in winter conditions, but there are no other particular difficulties. The low-level bogs are best in a dry spell or when frozen solid.
Short Cuts	The good track running between the hills permits either mountain to be done on its own as a shorter circuit

Bens Hope and Loyal are peaks on the edge, with the expanse of the Flow Country rippling out to the east, and northwards the cold open sea. Next stop, the Arctic. Both stand tall among the great hills of the far north, each rising in magnificent independence – Hope a precipitous wedge, Loyal a remarkable multi-topped mass bristling crags and tors. These rugged individuals tend to be tackled separately, and their standard routes are fairly short outings. However, the two can also be combined in this extended loop, a logical and compelling challenge for the more ambitious. The peaks themselves may be the obvious highlights, but the emptiness between them has its own unique atmosphere too. Some tolerance for bogs is required.

Ben Loyal from Ben Hope

Approach 9.5km

North of Kinloch Lodge is an unoccupied house just above the road; take the track past this, and at a junction in gorse thickets go right. Climb over a slight rise, and having crossed a burn make a long gradual ascent across open moorland. This approach follows the Moine Path, an excellent well-drained historic route linking the Kyle of Tongue with Loch Hope. Ben Loyal’s multiple rocky summits form a remarkable backdrop, while the sharp wedge of Ben Hope rises out of the moor ahead. After several kilometres the path begins a steady descent towards Loch Hope; leave it here and strike S over the bogs to reach the outflow of Loch na Seilg below the rugged, secretive eastern flank of Ben Hope.

On the hill 20km

Head WSW, where steepening stony slopes give strenuous access to Ben Hope’s north ridge, the best walkers’ route up the mountain. Follow the ridge onto a grassy levelling. The direct continuation is barred by an intimidating rock barrier, or Bad Step. Tackled on its right side this gives a short pitch of VDiff grade climbing in a serious position above the full height of the mountain’s huge northwest face. Most people will want to avoid it, and this is easily done via an obvious gully well to the left – a very basic but slimy scramble. Above this regain the crest of the ridge, where some enjoyable blocky scrambling leads airily to Ben Hope’s table top. With steep ground on three sides and a vast expanse of emptiness all around, the summit has a great sense of open space.

From the summit trig point and wind break follow the edge of the eastern corrie, An Garbh-choire. Skirt just right of an unnamed top to descend rolling slopes of grass and rocks, then climb a little onto the outlying summit Sail Romascaig, which is marked with a cairn. Here bear E, descending carefully through a band of little crags then down a steep boulder-strewn slope onto a knobbly shoulder overlooking idyllic An Gorm Loch.

Continue E through a deserted wilderness of bogs, rocks and pools (confusing in mist). Bear just right of the summit of Creag Chaol to pick up a quad bike track; this trends left as it descends to cross the Allt na Luibe Moire in a little flat-bottomed glen. Here gain a more distinct estate track, which is followed S to the shore of Loch an Dìthreibh, a lovely spot overlooked by the peaks of Ben Loyal. Stay with the track past a private estate bothy, and at a junction by the head of the loch go left to the ruined cottage of Dìthreibh.

Beyond the cottage leave the track, cross a burn, then climb E onto a pathless pool-pitted bog land. Aim for the south ridge of Càrn an Tionail, Ben Loyal’s southern top, where the low-lying bogs soon give way to steep slopes. Follow the broad ridge to the summit. Head N over Beinn Bheag, a delightful stroll on springy turf, then climb to An Caisteal, Loyal’s well-named main top. From the south the massive summit tor looks impregnable; skirt left to scramble up its more manageable north side.

An Gorm Loch and the east side of Ben Hope

Sgòr Chaonasaid and the Kyle of Tongue

Two further tors are worth exploring, first Sgòr a’ Bhatain, then the dramatic promontory peak of Sgòr Chaonasaid, the south ridge of which gives some optional scrambling. From the saddle south of Sgòr Chaonasaid descend ENE; at first it’s steep and rough, but a path soon takes shape. The lower slopes are dominated by the huge front face of Sgòr Chaonasaid. Pass left of the cottage at Cunside.

Return 4km

Beyond the Allt Lon Malmsgaig the path continues N across heather moorland, soon becoming a track. Here strike W over open boggy ground, passing south of Lochan Hakel to reach the single-track road. This leads downhill to a bridge over the Kinloch river and the start point.