200 Scottish Sub-2k's up- Ben Horn

18 June 2014

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Ben Horn, 521m/1,710', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 17, NC 807064

I had always fancied visiting the hills of Eastern Sutherland and Caithness and a search of various hill-walking websites drew my attention to Ben Horn as being one of the best hills in the area. The forecast was good although warm so as I was based in Inverness for a few days I decided to seize the opportunity and go for it. What a good decision that turned out to be. So I drove to Golspie and turned up the single track road that goes up Dunrobin Glen as far as Bridge of Horn where there was lots of parking.....
 

 

The route initially was through some forestry but that soon ended. There was a gate at the top of the forest and a style beside it; Ben was having nothing to do with the style but fortunately he was able to squeeze through a gap low down in the fence. Bigger dogs would have a problem. This is looking back from through the gate, the hill in the distance is Ben Bhraggie with the monument to the Duke of Sutherland prominent. I must go and have a look at this infamous object next time that I'm in the area, especially as Ben Bhraggie is the south top of another sub-2k! The Duke and his kind drove out all the people so that they could use the land for sheep, but strangely I never saw a single one of these beasts on the hill today. Maybe the sheep have in their turn been driven out to be replaced with wind turbines- see later.....

Now my hill was in sight standing above a loch of the same name.....
 

 

The going was excellent after I got past the immediate lochside area, short heather that was easy to walk over. And the views were starting to open out. This is a telephoto shot of Ben Bhraggie.....
 

 

and this is looking down on Loch Horn with Ben Wyvis and Carn Chuinneag on the horizon.....
 

 

It was a steady pull up to the summit where there was a small cairn. At last I seem to have got Ben to sit at cairns and trigs to get his photo taken.....
 

 

What a situation, pity there had to be a downside. This.....a wind farm on the north slopes of the hill spoiling the view to Ben Klibreck and the other hills of the far north. I don't mind wind farms in industrial areas but this is one that should never have been allowed......

The view further round was to Morven and its neighbours and would you believe it, there was another wind farm, although not so prominent.....

It was warm in the sunshine but there was a wee bit of a breeze so I sat around for a good while. Even with the wind turbines, it was a fantastic viewpoint, everything that I had hoped. I took a couple of wide angle shots, the first is over Loch Horn to the distant Ben Wyvis (with the snow patches) and Carn Chuinneag, the double topped hill to the right, and the second is the northern arc of hills- the big pointy one is Ben Klibreck with Ben Armine centre and the Ben Griams to the right.....
 

 

 

 

Then it was back the same way and of course Ben had a swim in the loch.....
 

 

It was only when I got home and checked my records that I realised that this had been my 200th Scottish sub-2k Marilyn. I had certainly (unconsciously) chosen a good one for that landmark. And there are lots of other good hills in this area to tempt me back.