Loch Hope
Loch Hope

Photo taken by one of our guests on his ascent of Ben Hope looking down on Loch Hope

If you’re looking for a challenge in 2013 or you’re already a Munro bagger then look no further than The Altnaharra as your base for climbing the two most northerly Munros.

You’ve probably heard about The Munros.  They’re the mountains dotted around Scotland which are over 3,000 feet in height.  There are 283 of them in all and they’re so named in honour of Sir Hugh Munro who first catalogued them.

Here at the Altnaharra Hotel we’re lucky enough to be practically a stones-throw from Scotland’s two most northerly Munros.  We have a view of the stunning Ben Klibreck (3,156ft: 961m) from many of our windows and Ben Hope (3041ft: 927m) is just a short, and very picturesque drive away.  So if you’re a serial Munro bagger, or a newcomer looking to set yourself a 2012 challenge The Altnaharra is an ideal choice for your luxury base-camp.

Every year, quite a few of our guests climb one or both of our local mountains.  Ben Hope is an isolated monolith with a relatively easy ascent to the south.  More challenging approaches can also be taken, however whichever route is taken, the view of the lochans and moors is fantastic on a clear day.   The slightly higher Ben Klibreck has numerous ascent options, from Crask to the south, Altnaharra to the north or by the easiest and most popular route from the A836 to the west.   In good weather, it is possible to climb both mountains in the same day and we can supply our guests with a packed lunch.  However if you’re taking a more leisurely approach, just do the one and join us for a great pub lunch in our Ghillies Bar!

Check out more details about Munro climbing on www.munromagic.co.uk or  www.walkhighlands.co.uk/munros.  Both sites have good tips, advice and reviews of ascents of both Ben Klibreck and Ben Hope.  The munromagic site is particularly useful for its location maps, safety tips and weather reports.  Clearly it’s recommended to take particular note of the weather before attempting to climb a Munro as walking is done at entirely your own risk.