Hill: Ben Stack
Date: Saturday 4th October 2008
Company: Myself and Beinn 
Time: 3 Hrs 25 Mins
Dog friendly: Yes

Views across to Ben Stack yesterday inspired me to ascend it today. We set off just after lunchtime after it finally stopped raining.

View of Ben Stack yesterday:


Parked at the starting point recommended for Arkle, Foinaven and Meall Horn.

Starting Point:


The initial going was very wet underfoot. I tried to avoid the worst of it.

Wet ground:


However, my walking pole got stuck in some bog which resulted in me in the bog up the top of my thighs.

Grrrrr:


After a quick clean down with some sphagnum moss we continued on and began ascending the slopes of wet grass. The ascent was very straight-forward and height was gained quickly.

Grassy ascent:


At around 350m I stopped to take some photos.

Looking down Loch More:


View across to Arkle, Allt Horn and Meall Horn:


On approaching the 540m top the final ascent ahead looked quite steep.

Looking towards conical top of Ben Stack:


Arkle:


After a couple of minutes stop at the 540m top we continued on in ever-improving weather conditions.

Looking back to 540m top:


Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill between Loch Stack and Loch More:


Was surprised at how technically easy Ben Stack is to climb with broad grassy slopes almost all the way.

Looking up final steep ascent of Ben Stack:


The summit ridge is really two parallel ridges possibly resulting from a landslip?:

Final approach to summit:


On the summit ridge there is a stone shelter and trig point at the 719m top, then a large cairn with solar panels and an antenna and then a summit cairn.

Beinn at 719m top trig point:


Solar panels and antenna:


I continued along to the narrow ridge just past the summit cairn as I wasn’t convinced that the summit cairn was higher.

View from summit cairn:


By the time we reached the summit it was nice and sunny. Great views of surrounding hills and land.

Foinaven and Arkle from summit:


Lochans, lochans and more lochans:


Meall Horn and Sabhals across Loch Stack:


We descended via the same route with great views across to Foinaven, Arkle, Meall Horn, Ben Hope, Ben Klibreck, Beinn Leiod, Meallan Coire Mhic Dhughaill and even Morven and Scaraben. Unfortunately though the Assynt hills were mostly still in cloud.

Meallan Liath Coire Mhic Dhughaill:


View towards Beinn Leoid:


A great short day out.