Opinion on ways to tackle northernmost 4

[polmanb]

Hi there. I'd be interested to hear views on best way to tackle Hope, Klibreck, More and Conival, and maybe Wyvis next spring / summer.

I've got (only) 36 under my belt just now and hopefully a few more before winter. Bit overweight and generally not that fit (although reasonably hill fit). Did 4 of the Ben Lawers last Sat with no issues at all and got a dozen or so since July.

Fancy making a mini holiday of it so maybe stay at hotels rather than take the tent. Can't make up my mind what order to do them in.

More and Conival look harder, so do I do them first, or knock off the easier Hope and Klibreck over a day or two and then expect my legs to do the harder ones on day 3? I realise it's subjective, but any experienced views appreciated!

[jmarkb]

Your chances of 3 fine days in a row are not that high, so for maximum enjoyment I would plan a spare day or two and be flexible according to the weather. If you do get really lucky there are lots of good lower hills to enjoy, e.g. Ben Stack, Arkle, Ben Loyal, or you can have a rest day if you need it.

[CraigReid]

I planned to do these 4 over summer but never got the weather, Planned on tenting it at Ben Hope and completing it at first light on the first day, only be roughly 4-5 hours to complete it and drive to Ben Kilbreck and complete the second munro later in the afternoon when I was a bit rested, roughly 5 hours. Then driving over to Ben more starting point and tenting it, completing them and driving back home in the evening. Would be a busy two days but manageable, with just under 2k ascent the first day then only 1.1k for the second.

I would say the Ben Hope and Kilbreck combination would be equal or harder difficulty to Ben More, but you get a break in between of them so its hard to say, especially with the reports of loose scree at the top on Ben More/Conival.

If you had 3 days and wanting to do Wyvis also you could combine Wyvis and Kilbreck, stay at Crask Inn and complete Ben Hope the next day which would give plenty of time for rest for Ben More the day after. Personally I wouldn't join Wyvis in but I only ever had two full days, I would combine Wyvis and a mountain nearer like Am Faochagach or Fionn Bheinn for a full day of walking.

If you were wanting to stay at hotels then there is Crask Inn right at the start of Ben Kilbreck and The Inchnadamph Hotel at the start of Ben More. Of course plenty of more scenic hotels nearer the north/northwest coast if that is more your fancy.

[The Lady In Ivan]

I did this a couple of years ago. BMA and Conival in the morning, then a drive to Ben Hope for an early evening summit. The next day a lonely ascent of Klibreck - lonely due to my friends deciding Klibreck was one hill to many and going home

Totally doable over a weekend with a tent

[malrobb]

I did these 4 in one trip. We drove up from Inverness and did Ben Klibrek and then Ben Hope in one day which wasn't to bad. We overnighted at Tongue and then did Conival and Ben More Assynt the following day. You could easily then do Wyvis but we elected to do the Fiddler in Assynt for a bit of a change on Day 3. We did it in summer so days were longer but fabulous part of the country and will definitely go back.

[rockhopper]

End of March in the snow a few years back. Ben Klibreck in the morning then Ben Hope in the afternoon. Drove up to Inchnadamph for Conival and Ben More Assynt the following day. I had intended to go up Ben Wyvis on the way down to Glasgow but C and BMA took longer than expected needing crampons and ice axe - a longer spring/summer day would have made it feasible.

[WalkWithWallace]

You could do More and Conival on your way up, then do Hope & Klibreck together on the next again day. Wyvis on your way home. That seems the most logistical order to do them in.

[iain_atkinson_1986]

There's a lot of driving between the areas and the roads to Hope and Klibreck are pretty rank. I planned to do similar but ended up moving to Inverness "for work" so getting to the northwest became less of a hassle.



I would probably be prepared to wait for a decent window of weather and either camp, sleep in your car or try for a hostel. If you're still early in the season you might get a hotel but places on and around the NC500 are often booked solid months in advance.

[OpenC]

Haven't done Conival or Ben More Assynt yet, but just a note to say that Ben Hope, on the right sort of day, is much too good to rush up and down (Ben Klibreck is most assuredly not, and went straight in at number one on my list of Hills I'll Never Set Foot On Again when I got it out of the way in August). Additionally, the roads to Hope are indeed pretty horrendous past Altnaharra (if you're going that way) and if you're trying to get there in a hurry there's a reasonable chance that you'll accidentally rip the exhaust off your car before you get there

[al78]

(Ben Klibreck is most assuredly not, and went straight in at number one on my list of Hills I'll Never Set Foot On Again when I got it out of the way in August).

Why? I'd have thought Ben Klibreck would have a nice view, rising as it does in isolation from the desolate moorland.

[OpenC]

I found pretty much everything about it to be disappointing (the view is nice enough, but not nearly as nice as the one from Ben Hope). The real reason I'll never climb it again is because I live so far away from it, of course - but if I ever find myself in that neck of the woods again and fancy a walk, there are so many better options that I wouldn't give it a second thought.

[JimboJim]

It's a six stage operation -
1. Pray for good weather.
2. Drive north. Stay somewhere handy for BMA and Conival - eg Inchnadamph.
3. Have some pints
4.Next day do BMA and Conival, then drive to somewhere handy for BH and BK - eg, The Crask Inn.
5.Have some pints
6.Next day, do BH, then BK, then long drive home. Simples

(If you don't like beer, some other substitute, like whisky will suffice.)

Hope that helps

[madprof]

There's a lot of driving between the areas and the roads to Hope and Klibreck are pretty rank.

I loved driving on the Lairg to Tongue road. Lovely feeling of open countryside.

[iain_atkinson_1986]

There's a lot of driving between the areas and the roads to Hope and Klibreck are pretty rank.

I loved driving on the Lairg to Tongue road. Lovely feeling of open countryside.

You would have thought that by doing the munros I would come to accept single-track roads... still loathe them! Think it's the fear of getting a puncture and knowing I don't have spare wheel.

[spiderwebb]

I did this a couple of years ago. BMA and Conival in the morning, then a drive to Ben Hope for an early evening summit. The next day a lonely ascent of Klibreck - lonely due to my friends deciding Klibreck was one hill to many and going home

Totally doable over a weekend with a tent

Lonely, I thought I was there