The Foinaven and Reay Forest Mountains

A panorama of the southern Reay Forest hills from the southern slopes of Ben Hope, Northern Sutherland

The group of hills comprising of Foinaven and the Reay Forest areas are exceptionally wild and remote and include the Corbetts: Foinaven, Arkle, Meall Horn, Meallan Liath Mhic Dhughaill, Ben Hee, Cranstackie and Beinn Spionnaidh. This is a great area, well worth exploration and much less frequented than either Ben Hope or the more popular Assynt hills. The group occupies a huge area between the A838 Lairg to Durness road in the west, and the A836 Lairg to Tongue and Altnaharra to Hope roads in the east, with several main access points around these roads. Accommodation can be booked in the Durness, Tongue or Lairg areas, any of which are ideal locations for exploring the area.

A track between Allnabad, on the Altnaharra to Hope road, and West Merkland traverses the range between Ben Hee and Beinn Direach over the Bealach nam Meirleach providing good access to the southern hills.

The A838 gives access to Ben Hee from West Merkland; Meallan Liath Mhic Dhughaill from Kinloch; Arkle and Meall Horn from near Achfary; Foinaven from Gualin House between Rhiconich and Durness; and Cranstackie and Beinn Spionnaidh from either Rhigolter or Polla.

Ben Hee as mist forms and high frontal clouds move in from the west - 2, Northern Sutherland
Ben Hee
Ben Hee is a big mass of a Corbett with several ridges and corries radiating from its central 873 metre ...
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Winter Afternoon - Arkle & Foinaven from Ben Hope, Northern Sutherland
Foinaven and Arkle
Foinaven and its neighbour Arkle are amongst Scotland's finest and most starkly beautiful mountains. Foinaven is one of the highest ...
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Explore Foinaven and Arkle with the interactive map of the mountain, photos and indicative routes below. Click on a feature to see photos and more information; see a legend by toggling the side panel and switch layers on and off. View a larger map here. Please let me know what you think!

Interactive map of Foinaven and Arkle including the Corbett summit and photos
View larger map

Important note: Routes on this map are provided as an indication only in good faith. They are approximate and indicative and should not be relied on for navigation or as a guarantee that any specific person will be capable of completing them. Read more

Please note: This page is in development but in the meantime I hope you enjoy the selection of photos below. Please check back for more.

A panorama of the southern Reay Forest hills from the southern slopes of Ben Hope, Northern Sutherland
A panorama of the southern Reay Forest hills from the southern slopes of Ben Hope
A panorama of the northern Reay Forest hills from the southern slopes of Ben Hope, Northern Sutherland
A panorama of the northern Reay Forest hills from the southern slopes of Ben Hope
The rugged grandeur of Foinaven and Arkle (B&W), Northern Sutherland
The rugged grandeur of Foinaven and Arkle
Arkle and Foinaven from the Ben Hope summit plateau - 2, Northern Sutherland
Arkle and Foinaven from the Ben Hope summit plateau
Cranstackie and Beinn Spionnaidh from the Ben Hope summit plateau, Northern Sutherland
Cranstackie and Beinn Spionnaidh from the Ben Hope summit plateau
A Panorama from Ben Hee Over An Gorm-choire, Northern Sutherland
A Panorama from Ben Hee Over An Gorm-choire
The southern Reay Forest hills from An t-Sail Mhor, Foinaven, Northern Sutherland
The southern Reay Forest hills from An t-Sail Mhor, Foinaven
A panorama of upper Strath Dionard, Meall Horn, Foinaven and Cranstackie, Northern Sutherland
A panorama of upper Strath Dionard with Meall Horn, Foinaven and Cranstackie

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Late afternoon on beautiful Ceannabeinne beach (Traigh Allt Chailgeag)
Ceannabeinne Durness – Grey November Day but Still Beautiful
Saturday was a grey day in the far north, there was some mizzle in Caithness to start. The forecast had seemed okay so I set out with my boy to head west and do something. No firm plans, just a need (on my part) to get out of the house ...
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Dawn Over the Kyle of Tongue, Northern Sutherland
Ben Hope Summit Camp
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Photo of a Puffin surveying the geo around Wester Clett, "Puffin Island"
Puffin Colony – Wester Clett, Sutherland
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