What difficulty is Ben Hee?

On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Ben Hee comes in at 3/5 — moderately challenging. Expect roughly 17km and 750m of ascent on the usual route — 4-7 hours for most parties. Ground conditions: Land Rover track for the first 5km gives a friendly start.

How much drop does Ben Hee have?

The drop is 607m: measured from the summit of Ben Hee down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.

Where's the parking for Ben Hee?

Park at NC517245 near Ullapool. Double-check the grid reference on an OS map first; informal laybys here fill early in high season.

What's the best month to climb Ben Hee?

Aim for May, June, July, August, September on Ben Hee. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.

Can dogs go up Ben Hee?

Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.

By Gary

Photo: Chris and Meg Mellish / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

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Corbett · Far North

Ben Hee

Ben Hee — the fairy mountain, from the Gaelic 'Beinn Shìth' — sits in the middle of Sutherland between Lairg and Tongue, surrounded by deer-stalking country and miles of flow country bog. It is the kind of hill that needs a specific weather window and a long drive in to enjoy, but the rewards are real: a broad rolling summit with an immense panorama across the empty interior of the county, and a strong sense of being in country very few people visit. The metrics are modest; the walk-in feels remote.

Quick facts

Height: 873m/ 2864ft
Prominence: 607 m
Distance: ~17 km
Ascent: ~750 m
Time: 4–7 hrs
Difficulty: 3 / 5Strenuous
Grid ref: NC426339
Parking: NC517245
Nearest: Ullapool· Inverness 92km
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).

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Standard route

moorland path 25% · heather hillside 45% · rocky upper slopes 20% · summit area 10%

17km · 750m ascent · 7.5 hrs

The standard line is from the Crask Inn on the A836 (NC517245), arguably the most isolated pubs in Britain. Walk west on a Land Rover track for around 5km along the south side of Loch a' Bhealaich, then climb north-west onto the broad south-east ridge. The route rises steadily across moor and grass to the summit shelter. Return reverses the line. Allow 7–8 hours.

Terrain

Land Rover track for the first 5km gives a friendly start. From the loch end the ground turns to peat hag and rough grass — slow but rarely truly bad. The upper slopes are gentler and drier. The summit area is broad with a stone shelter built around the trig point — welcome in any wind.

In winter

Ben Hee in winter is a long quiet day in a part of Scotland that very few people see in snow. The approach Land Rover track holds drifts in north-east winds. The summit is exposed to the full sweep of Arctic systems from the Pentland Firth; clear cold conditions give one of the great Highland winter panoramas, with Foinaven, Ben Hope and the Sutherland coast all on view.

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Ben Hee. SAIS forecasts six areas only — Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber, Glencoe and Torridon — and this hill is outside all of them, so there is no avalanche forecast to read for it. In winter, use MWIS The Northwest Highlands ↗ for mountain weather, judge snow stability from first principles, and treat any cornice or wind-loaded slope with extra caution.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow5h 10m
Edinburgh5h 14m

Parking: NC517245IV27 4AD

OS maps: OS Landranger 16

Mobile signal: No usable signal at Crask or on the hill — central Sutherland is a recognised mobile blackspot

Current conditions

Daylight Today

14h 13mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 06:48
Sunset: 19:41
Civil dawn: 06:08
Civil dusk: 20:21

NOAA Solar Calculator · 15 September 2026

Pair with

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Ben Hee + Arkle
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28km · 1700m ascent · 12 hrs

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Around Ben Hee on the SCOT network

Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.

On TripSCOT

station

Getting there: Lairg station

Central Sutherland; Ben Klibreck approach; gateway to Far North inland

33km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Durness

Cape Wrath base; Smoo Cave; Sandwood Bay walk-in

34km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

Before you go

Hillwalking carries real risk and the responsibility for any day on the hill is yours. Conditions in Scotland change fast and can differ sharply from the forecast — check the weather and the ground before you commit, turn back when the day stops working, and carry map and compass with the ability to use them rather than relying on a phone.

The distance, ascent and time shown on this page are editorial estimates for the usual line, not measurements from a recorded track — that is what the ~ means. Treat them as a rough shape of the day. Your own pace, the conditions and the exact line you take will all move them.

Mountain forecasts: MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast. Access rights and responsibilities are set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

We check what we publish, but we cannot check the route on the day you walk it. Nothing here is a substitute for your own judgement.

Ben Hee — common questions

What difficulty is Ben Hee?: On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Ben Hee comes in at 3/5 — moderately challenging. Expect roughly 17km and 750m of ascent on the usual route — 4-7 hours for most parties. Ground conditions: Land Rover track for the first 5km gives a friendly start.
How much drop does Ben Hee have?: The drop is 607m: measured from the summit of Ben Hee down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain.
Where's the parking for Ben Hee?: Park at NC517245 near Ullapool. Double-check the grid reference on an OS map first; informal laybys here fill early in high season.
What's the best month to climb Ben Hee?: Aim for May, June, July, August, September on Ben Hee. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.
Can dogs go up Ben Hee?: Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.
Will I get phone signal on Ben Hee?: No usable signal at Crask or on the hill — central Sutherland is a recognised mobile blackspot
Is Ben Hee safe in winter?: Ben Hee in winter is a long quiet day in a part of Scotland that very few people see in snow. The approach Land Rover track holds drifts in north-east winds. The summit is exposed to the full sweep of Arctic systems from the Pentland Firth; clear cold conditions give one of the great Highland winter panoramas, with Foinaven, Ben Hope and the Sutherland coast all on view.

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