Ben More Assynt

Ben More Assynt, at 998 metres, is the highest mountain in the extraordinary landscape of Assynt, hidden from the roads by neighbouring Conival, with huge scree-girt flanks, a fine approach ridge, and a view of total, majestic desolation across northern Scotland.

Reached from Conival via a rugged ridge of shattered quartzite — around 1.5 kilometres in distance but feeling considerably longer given the boulder-strewn terrain — a scramble down a rocky section leads to a bouldery crest with one section of slab requiring care (avoidable by passing beneath), before a minor bump precedes the final approach. The summit holds two cairns, one on the bouldery plateau and another on a narrow section of rock to the north that may be marginally higher; either way, the view here is expansive and very different from Conival's, looking primarily north and east across a sweeping, desolate wilderness.

For the more adventurous, the south ridge — extending out to a 960-metre top and beyond — provides a magnificent, at times airy approach with some scrambling on awkward tilted slabs, including a genuine "bad step" requiring care to cross; the remoteness of this ridge's starting point has ensured it has never become popular, and most walkers simply retrace the standard route back to Conival.

The combined round trip taking in both Munros from Inchnadamph is around 17-18 kilometres with roughly 1,150 metres of ascent, typically five and a half to eight hours; a longer alternative extends over Ben More Assynt's south ridge and the Corbett Breabag, returning via the famous Bone Caves of Inchnadamph.

The connecting ridge is rough throughout and can hold significant cornices in winter, and the wider fields of shattered quartzite demand genuine care underfoot and confident navigation in poor visibility — this remote, spacious northern setting should not be underestimated despite good paths for much of the standard route.

Parking at Inchnadamph is free; a limited bus service runs from Ullapool.