North Highlands Highlight

Ben Wyvis

find accomodation in this area

BEN WYVIS (1046m) stands in splendid isolation from the other mountains of the North Highlands. Its whaleback ridge is visible from afar. it consists of Moine schist heavily moulded by the last ice Age. The many mounds and ridges in the lower areas are glacial as are the erratic boulders dumped as the ice retreated.

Flora. Unlike most mountains in Scotland, the top of Ben Wyvis is covered with Woolly Hair Moss, a greeny-yellow plant which forms a thick and springy carpet. There are at least 170 species of plants on the mountain, including alpine flowers, rare ferns, and lichens as well as dwarf willows and birch.

Fauna. Red and Roe Deer, Mountain Hare and Pine Marten may be seen. The summit ridge holds breeding Dotterel in summer, as well as Ptarmigan, Golden Plover, Red Grouse and Ravens. Golden Eagles and Buzzards are frequently seen all over this area, the former usually at a distance but the latter often much more close by.

Access. The easiest route to the summit is from the Forestry Commission car park on the A835 at Garbat. The climb to An Caber (950m) is steep but the top is gentler.

« back