Fast forward to Sept where issues with the accommodation for my mountaineering club's Sept meet in the Lake District meant that we had an late minute change of plan.
I'd suggested a trip to the far north previously, so one of our other members suggested we take advantage of the situation and head there instead of trying to find alternative accommodation in the Lakes.
Mike (our vice chair) had just taken custody of a new camper van and offered it up as accommodation and transport for the trip, long term club member Kirsty also asked to join us, we set of on the Friday at noon from Glasgow and reached our parking spot at the foot of Ben Klibreck by 7pm
- Ben Klibreck comes into view
- Home sweet home for the night
- Time for a local beer while dinner cooks
We had an early night and set our alarm for 5am, once we were organised and had had breakfast we set off at 6am up the hill in the darkness with our head torches.
- 5am, first glimmer of sunlight over Ben Klibreck
- 6am, setting off
Within an hour we reached the first cairn
- First Cairn
- Same cairn back in June
The sun was starting to rise and we were being treated to a beautiful red sunrise.
- 7am, the low sun illuminates Ben Hope
The cloud formations on the hill were amazing to watch, the views were fantastic too, from The Minch in the West to the Moray Firth in the East and Orkney and the Pentland Firth in the North.
- The cloud formations were facinating
- Looking North from the summit (spot Orkney)
- 9:30am, by now the sun was well and truly up
- 10am, Ben Klibreck summit, Mike, Kirsty and Mark
We reached the summit by 9:30am and had a bite to eat while taking in the views before decending and reaching the camper van by 12pm.
We had lunch in the camper van then set off on the arduous journey along a single track road before reaching Ben Hope at 2:30pm, after a quick change of breeks (Klibreck had been very boggy) we set off up the hill.
- Starting point for Ben Hope
- Falls
The ascent is very steep and quick and surprisingly easier on our legs than Klibreck had been, we reached the summit in just over 2 hours.
- Strathmore River
- Conival & Ben More Assynt
- Kyle of Tongue and a distant Orkney
- Kirsty
- Mike and Mark
- Ben Hope in the evening sunlight
We had hoped to spend the Sat night in Ullapool but with the prospect of a 3 hour journey ahead (and being thoroughly knackered) we decided on staying in Durness, the evening weather was warm despite the northerly latitude, and after a well deserved dinner and pint of lovely we retired for the evening.
The next morning we awoke to the most beautiful sunrise
- Durness Sunrise
![rsz_img_2055[1].jpg](http://d3teiib5p3f439.cloudfront.net/attachments/252718)
On the way back down South the weather wasn't so nice as had been but we stopped of for a scramble on Stac Pollaidh before spending the evening in Ullapool.
The view on waking up was just as spectacular are the day before
- MV Loch Seaforth leaving Ullapool for Stornaway
![rsz_img_2121[1].jpg](http://d3teiib5p3f439.cloudfront.net/attachments/252720)
We set off for home on the last day of our long weekend and meandered down the A835 & A82 before stopping off at the Clachaig
- Homeward bound with the obligatory stop off at The Clacaig
![rsz_img_2146[1].jpg](http://d3teiib5p3f439.cloudfront.net/attachments/252719)
It was a fantastic weekend and we were all still buzzing from it for the following week
