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Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coast

Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coast


Postby dogplodder » Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:41 pm

Route description: Ben Klibreck

Munros included on this walk: Ben Klibreck

Date walked: 10/09/2005

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It was to be Evelyn's 100th Munro so we decided on Ben Klibreck as Moira, Pete and I were staying up on the north coast at Talmine near Tongue.

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Talmine beach and rock pools
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The others had an early start while Moira and I got up at a respectable hour and had a leisurely breakfast before driving down the A836 to the meeting point at the Crask Inn. We passed the parking place at Vagastie, which we thought would be our start point but when we met up with the others the men wanted to start at the Crask Inn so they could do a circular walk coming back by Loch a Bhealach.

So we left the cars at the Crask and followed the waterlogged track north east for a while before striking up north towards Cnoc Sgriodain. There was a bit of huffing and puffing and dark mutterings from the women about the men making us walk further than we had to as we climbed the first hill and saw that we had a bit of a descent before the next climb! :lol:

Ben Klibreck
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View north to Ben Hope and Ben Loyal
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View south west back to the Crask Inn
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The col below Meall nan Con, summit cone of Klibreck
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The day before there had been a fatality on Ben Klibreck :( but I can't for the life of me remember if we knew that before we went. If we did I suspect we wouldn't have mentioned it to Linda. Linda is a very fit lady but she doesn't like any kind of exposure and when we got to the foot of the final ascent she didn't fancy the steep climb so decided to wait for us there while we went on up. At the top we huddled together at the summit rocks and celebrated Evelyn's 100th with the carrot cake she had secreted in her rucksack! :D

It's only when I saw the pics later I realised what a bad hair day I was having! :lol:
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The three guys headed down the spur of Meall an Eoin to Loch a Bhealaich and back that way. We obviously couldn't do that as Linda was waiting at the col so we pretty much retraced our steps which was a long tedious bog slog before we got back to the Crask Inn to find the men were already there, minus Andrew. He (the thoughtful soul :angel: ) had gone up the road in his car to give us a lift, thinking we'd have cut across to the road at Vagastie, which we hadn't as it looked further that way.

The hospitality at the Crask inn is second to none. On this occasion there was a wonderful log fire blazing making it hard for the contingent with the long drive to tear themselves away. On another occasion we pitched up at lunch time on a midweek day in February and found the place empty and apparently closed but the woman insisted we come in and before long produced bowls of home made soup and freshly baked scones! :thumbup:

During the next few days Pete and I visited some stunning beaches which we had entirely to ourselves. One was Coldbackie beach on the east side of the Kyle of Tongue.

On the sand dunes above Coldbackie bay looking towards Rabbit and Seal Islands at the mouth of the Kyle of Tongue
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Coldbackie beach
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Walking along the water's edge I saw an otter half out of the water watching us. She seemed very curious and I was able to walk quite close but when the dogs came nearer she was off in a flash.

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The dogs were younger then and burnt off a lot of energy running like hoodlums on this beach!
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Then there was the delightful Achinver beach, just north of Talmine. There are sometimes seals on this beach but the only ones we saw were well past their sell by and we had a job keeping Tess from rolling on their remains! :twisted:

Achinver beach
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Synchronised cavorting
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Having fun with a frisbee at Dunnet bay
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The cliffs of Dunnet Head
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Croft lands from Skinnet beach
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Skinnet beach from east side of Kyle of Tongue
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Balnakeil beach, Durness
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All beautiful beaches but this one is my favourite :D
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The day after the battle of Culloden a ship came into the Kyle of Tongue with gold to help the Jacobite cause. It was pursued by a government ship and both ships ran aground (probably on the sand bar that runs out from Skinnet beach). The French were chased by soldiers as far as Lochan Hakon which lies not far north of Ben Loyal and the story goes that the gold was dumped in the lochan and it's likely it hasn't all been retrieved. 8)

So we sent our sniffer dogs in to have a look!
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Lochan Hakon and Ben Loyal
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Early morning sun from cottage window
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Last edited by dogplodder on Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby dooterbang » Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:12 am

Some cracking photos, love the beach shots.

A friend and i did Klibreck after Ben Hope and it was a bog fest, not enjoyable. Glad to see yous all having a great time, dogs included.

Least you got hair to have "a bad hair day" :lol:

Thanks for posting.
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby malky_c » Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:29 am

The coast is amazing up there. It's almost like the lost coastline of Scotland 8)

Klibreck is good for the views too. I'm convinced there's a better way up it than the standard one, although I haven't been back to try yet.
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby Bod » Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:55 am

Love the Ben Loyal photo with the dogs playing the Loch. We had a nice view over to Ben Loyal from Ben Hope this summer, must get up there too! :D
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby morag1 » Tue Dec 06, 2011 9:03 am

Great way to celebrate your friend's 100th :D

Beautiful photos of the beaches and nice to see the dogs hunting for Jacobite gold!

Quite a contrast with all the recent reports of winter walking and it reminds me that while winter is beautiful, I much prefer the summer 8)
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby BlackPanther » Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:06 pm

Cracking pictures :D And every time you post another photo of Ben Loyal my appetite for this mountain gets bigger!

Ben Klibreck was also my husband's number 100, earlier this year. We walked it from Vagastie bridge and I remember the experience as very wet and windy. We didn't have the best weather but views were worth all the effort.
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby dogplodder » Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:58 pm

dooterbang wrote:Least you got hair to have "a bad hair day" :lol:



My problem is having too much - needing regular deforestation! :lol:
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby dogplodder » Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:17 pm

malky_c wrote:I'm convinced there's a better way up it than the standard one, although I haven't been back to try yet.


Sounds like our route, though longer than the standard one, might have been less boggy - apart from the last section near the Crask Inn. :D
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby pollyh33 » Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:32 pm

Wonderful report and beautiful photos Kathleen- another cracker :clap: :clap:
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby ndhudson » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:30 am

dogplodder wrote:It's only when I saw the pics later I realised what a bad hair day I was having! :lol:


That's the highly coveted wind-blown look. ;) Some women pay big bucks for that look. All you had to do was climb a mountain! :lol:

Beautiful shots, Dogplodder! And congratulations to Evelyn on her 100th!!
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby dogplodder » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:16 pm

Bod wrote:Love the Ben Loyal photo with the dogs playing the Loch. We had a nice view over to Ben Loyal from Ben Hope this summer, must get up there too! :D


I'm the same. For all the times we've been in the area I've never been to Loyal's summit and now I really want to! :D
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby dogplodder » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:20 pm

BlackPanther wrote:Cracking pictures :D And every time you post another photo of Ben Loyal my appetite for this mountain gets bigger!



Yes ditto. It's funny how hills can go unclimbed for long enough - and then you come to a point where they're calling out to you and you've gotta go! :D
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby dogplodder » Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:53 pm

morag1 wrote:Quite a contrast with all the recent reports of winter walking and it reminds me that while winter is beautiful, I much prefer the summer 8)


I'm loving all these posts from snow covered hills - but to be honest I'm not sure if I've got the stamina to climb hills in waist deep snow and I'm envious of those who do! :mrgreen:
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby dogplodder » Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:22 pm

pollyh33 wrote:Wonderful report and beautiful photos Kathleen- another cracker :clap: :clap:


Thanks Pauline. :D

Good to see you enjoying the snow at Drumochter! :thumbup:
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Re: Ben Klibreck and some stunning beaches on the north coas

Postby dogplodder » Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:32 pm

ndhudson wrote:
dogplodder wrote:It's only when I saw the pics later I realised what a bad hair day I was having! :lol:


That's the highly coveted wind-blown look. ;) Some women pay big bucks for that look. All you had to do was climb a mountain! :lol:



And that was nothing compared to the big bucks shelled out for the Carn na Caim look! :lol:

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