Ben Hope By Ferry

BEN HOPE BY FERRY

2004

      In 2004 I was signed off work for a year due to the chronic pain in my wrist, I was living on prescription pain killers. After three operations I now have titanium plates welding my wrist together and 4 bones removed.

I now have a bit of pain now and again but nothing like the pain I had before.

   To pass the time when I was off I returned to hill walking after a short break of around 30 years. I found that the hard work of pounding up a hill relieved the pain. This was probably due to increased blood flow, or the fact that I was very unfit. I lost a lot of weight after starting on Tramadol pain killers as it suppresses your appetite and has some other nasty side effects as well if you stay on them for too long.

My mate had moved up to the Island of Sanday one of the Orkney isles, he had bought a run down croft to do up and I had been up for a holiday giving him a hand with some plumbing  etc. It was a bit of an adventure to get there. He had bought  an old Fergie tractor 1950ish TE20 for those in the know - petrol paraffin and a front loader which he had stored at my house till he got organised. Later I took the tractor to Aberdeen harbour and shipped it via ferry to Orkney for him.

When I got to the quay to unload it there was a modern Massie Ferguson waiting to get loaded, the little Fergie just came up to the height of the new tractor's front wheel when they were side by side. The little Fergie was the new Massie Ferguson's granddad, anyway due to the cost of shipping the front loader was left at my place.  Later on I would arrange to get it up to Orkney.

I also had a hay turner that my mate and I had done a swap of stuff for so a trip to Orkney was on the cards at some point. I had an old trailer made out of a caravan chassis that I used for shifting stuff when I had my plumbing business. Now the cheapest way to go at that time was to drive up to Gill's bay on the top of Scotland and take the ferry to St Margaret's Hope then drive to Kirkwall and catch the second ferry to Sanday. After some arranging I was all set to go.This involved being at the right place at the right time or I'd miss the second ferry.But due to the load I had on the trailer I decided to take the car and trailer on the ferry from Aberdeen to Kirkwall. Only thing being the ferry sailed at 5pm and got to Kirkwall at 11pm which missed the sailings to Sanday.

Options - I could sleep in the car or stump up for a hotel. - "Sod the car".

I loaded the trailer with the Fergie loader upside down lying on the base and then put the hay turner ( a Banford Wuffler)  over the rails and the loader bucket in underneath the turner and a set of pallet forks squeezed in too. I roped up the load but was not all that happy with it so plan B got the arc welder out and welded the hay turner to the metal rails, remember we were going on a North sea ferry which can get very rough so I did not want the load shifting at sea or on the road either. Put an old cover over everything and roped it all down. 

It's a right shove in when you are departing at 5pm. Messed about most of the day till it was time to leave for Aberdeen harbour.   This was a heavy load and had to keep the speed down or it would swing all over the place.

The distance to Aberdeen is 25 miles. I met a cop car going the other way at Dunecht and saw them shaking their heads at my load and carrying on past probably thinking I was a farmer on my way to the mart and giving me a wide birth. I got to the docks without incident for a change and got into the queue for loading onto the ferry,

The Hjaltland is the ferry between Aberdeen, Orkney and Shetland. There are some scary stories about sea crossings on the internet about it if you want to go look them up.  

  

Hijaland

The time came to load and there were a few wise cracks from the crew about my load but I got on and parked in the hold. They chain the vehicles down on this crossing to stop them from moving. I made my way up to the passenger area and found a seat till we left at 5pm and the ship set sail for Orkney. I had been on this ferry once before coming home from Orkney on a very rough sea crossing overnight. Not pleasant! I don't  travel well on ferries in rough seas.

On that overnight journey I had a sleeping seat a bit like a plane seat reclined a bit. Through the night the ship got tossed around and developed a pattern of movement. The ship would rise up in the front and fall quite a bit and once it got too bad you heard the stabilisers coming out from the side of the ship to calm the rocking, didn't  work that well and this went on all night so I did not sleep much and felt sick the whole trip. The ship seemed to be able to go faster when the stabilisers were in so I think they kept them in till it was really bad. When day light came in I went outside and stood watching another freight ferry that had left Kirkwall earlier that evening. I did not realise how big the waves were till I saw them going over the deck of the other ferry.  The p.a. crackled into life announcing that the ferry could not enter Aberdeen harbour for another hour as there would not be enough depth of water in the harbour, just what you want when you're seasick. I spent the rest of the trip outside standing up with a cool breeze and seaspray in my face. I felt a bit better when I was outside, not much though.

When we finally docked I walked round to the bus station and got a bus to my work where I had left my car. It was tea time so I joined my work mates for a fly cup. That did not go down well as I was still rocking from the overnight trip and my bosses told me my skin was greenish. Couldn't eat much and found it hard to drink tea I got the car and went home to bed for a while. Took about 2-3 days to fully recover from that trip as you might have guessed I was a tad apprehensive about being back on the Hijaland heading north this time to Kirkwall.

An hour later after leaving Aberdeen we sailed past Peterhead in a flat calm North Sea (phew!!). I decided to go and get something for my tea, there were a few choices of places to eat but none that cheap. A captive lot on here. There was a posh looking place but after reviewing the menu I did not have an arm and leg to pay the bill. Found a cheaper place, fish and chips and a pot of tea for under a tenner. Well I was at sea might as well have fish and chips and it would also kill some time.  After tea I explored the passenger area of the ship and found I could get out on top at the stern. These big ships generate strong wind over them and down the sides, so it was a tad windy and cold sitting on the roof, I didn't stay there that long and returned inside. We had sailed past Fraserburgh and were out to sea now heading for Kirkwall. A few slot machines and plenty of bars on board to pass the time.

As we sailed north on a nice clear night and still calm on the sea you could make out Wick off in the distance. So I just sat around looking out the windows, watched the sunset over the southern Orkney island as we sailed by. But it was dark by the time we docked in Kirkwall at 11.30pm. The passengers for Orkney disembarked quite quickly and it was not long before I was driving round Kirkwall harbour heading for the Shore Hotel on the Quay.The Hijaland sailed on to Shetland overnight from Orkney.

I parked the car near the hotel  which I had booked in advance, went into the hotel and a girl was waiting in reception for a few passengers off of the Hijaland. She gave me my room key and I offered to pay the bill but to my surprise the girl said there was no one about who could take payment so just pay in the morning. That would never happen in a mainland hotel, the first thing you get is give me your credit card in them. Anyway I found my room upstairs and had to listen to the disco in the bar till about 1am then it was the Land of nod till about 6am. Got up and had a shower, but breakfast wasn't served till 7.30am so watched the t.v. till then. Fantastic choice on the menu even kippers or a full Scottish breakfast if you wanted it, I had a light breakfast due to the next 2 hour ferry crossing in 2 hours or so. After I finished breakfast I again asked about paying the bill. "Just see them at the desk" came back. I went back to my room to watch some t.v. to kill time. About 9am I packed up and went down to the reception to pay the bill. Once again. "Oh there is no one here that can take money, we will just post the bill to you". Very trusting in Orkney - I couldn't believe it! Went to the car with my bag and dumped it inside.

The car and trailer at Orkney harbour. 

Now you see why I welded the Wuffler on. Lol. By the way I took the Wuffler wheels off and put them on the trailer as it would not sit on top with them on.

I had an hour or so to kill so I walked around Kirkwall window shopping as I was on a budget as usual, after spending a fortune window shopping I had to go and queue for the ferry to Sanday on the Quay in front of the hotel. Ro-Ro ferry to Sanday and a good bit smaller than the  Hijaland, they still chain the cars down though.The Earl Suguard came rattling into the harbour and it looked like a hand brake turn into the terminal - those guys don't mess about. Loaded up quickly and they were off again.

Earl Suguard

They loaded up the ferry and we were off sailing to Sanday  and it was a nice calm crossing again thankfully. The locals are very chatty and the time passed quickly  2 hours later we docked at Sanday.Just after 12 noon now I drove off to my mate's house which is about 2 miles from the dock.

He killed himself laughing when he saw the trailer. "Get the kettle on" was my reply. Now on my last trip here when I was helping him do the plumbing we had shared his caravan. A 16 foot van tied down with big rocks to stop it blowing over, with a bed either end after you rearranged the seats to give you beds and the only toilet was down at the dock 2 miles away. However he had finished the living room and had a bed settee in it for me to sleep in now. No door to the house yet or into the living room, where I would be sleeping! After lunch we set about unloading the trailer, the angle grinder was required to cut the welding to release the hay turner. We dragged the loader out from under the hay turner and fitted it up with his Fergie tractor. I got the old Fergie going and used the loader to lift off the hay turner, pulled the trailer out of the way and dropped it to the ground. Still no toilet fitted. My mate had built a septic tank since the last time I was here but could not get the old tractor to start to lift the flag stones on top. Took me 5 minutes to get it going much to his annoyance. I had given him a set of pallet forks for the back which I had brought with me, so we set about putting the flag stone in place that afternoon and used the loader bucket to cover the flagstone over with sand. The place is called Sanday for a reason. Next job was fit the toilet with a bucket to flush (a small luxury) pity about no doors in front of it, just sit and smile at the passing sheep. He had an electric shower out in the shed so we got that connected up too. A shower and a toilet what luxury, now all I needed was a door to my bedroom. We went to the pub for tea and a few games of pool.
  On return a door was found and fitted to the living room. The air in the Orkney islands makes you sleep like a baby. In the morning I had a nice shower in the freezing cold shed so didn't stand about drying long. Messed about at my mates all day doing some more plumbing for him, then back to the pub for tea of course.
  Day 3 - I planned to catch the early ferry back to Kirkwall so I was up sharp to get down to the dock. The trailer would be staying on Sanday as we had done a swap for his trailer which I still had at home. My mate did not keep a lot of food in his caravan because he tended to eat everything that was there and put on weight quickly. The only person I know that could eat a 2ltr tub of ice-cream at one go, however the second day he did the same again, he did regret it and did not stray far from the toilet that day.  Didn't go back for another 2 ltr tub after the second one I wonder why???

So nothing for breakfast in the cupboard apart from a tin of Stag Chilli, I had sampled this tinned chilli on the last trip and told him I wasn't eating that dog food again.  Don't panic food served on the ferry, phew. Fantastic bacon rolls and piping hot tea or coffee in the galley, as soon as it opened after we sailed I was down there for my bacon rolls and tea. Yum yum. 2 Hours later we docked at Kirkwall and I drove off onto the quay. No time to mess about I had to get to St Margaret's Hope for my next ferry to the mainland. About 22km south on South Ronaldsay.  Had to sit on the speed limit to get there on time. When I arrived the MV Claymore was docking after sailing from Gill's bay on the mainland. I had plenty of time really to get there. This boat was built in 1955 and has been tarted up quite a few times. I think it was a Clyde steamer originally and the private company that ran this crossing had bought it about 15th hand, it made 3 crossings a day about 1.1/2 hours across. Now there is a super fast cat that does the crossing in one hour.

MV Claymore.

Had lunch on board as we crossed and I could not believe it - a third calm crossing. Old Poseidon was looking after me these trips. We arrived at Gill's Bay on the north of Scotland and disembarked to a queue of cars and lorries waiting to board. Back on the mainland and heading west to Ben Hope. Only thing it's about 116km from Gill's Bay across the top of  Scotland to Ben Hope. I am sure it didn't look that far on the map!!  No motorways up here and it's single track in places too.

You pass the Castle of Mey which was the Queen Mother's Scottish residence when she was alive.  I think Charlie has it now and onto Thurso, a big town. When I left school I worked up there for a summer at Sire in Stratnaver further along the road. We had a day trip to Thurso a big event then. I remember buying my first record a Gene Pitney album in Woolworths. Not a lot of choice in 1976 what's worse is I think I still have it now in 2012! You can get a ferry from Thurso to Stromness on Orkney as well, that's a good one to go on as it sails past the Old Man of Hoy.
    Dounreay Nuclear Power plant is up here. One of the first nuclear plants built, up here away from any major population. Not much after here, Sutherland is the least populated part of Scotland. On to Bettyhill and one of Scotland's best beaches. Next comes Toung and a causeway built over the Kyle of Toung. There were so many Mckays working on it when it was built it got nicknamed the McKay causeway. As you drive through Toung you get one of the best hill views around, with Ben Loyal to the south, not a Munro at 765m but a stunning sight anyway.

    

Ben Loyal

It's quite an old photo, I am sure you would find this view on Flicker somewhere.It would be worth climbing it some day but a bit of a run to get to it.Only about 14km to the start of Strath More and the road to Ben Hope.

Ben Hope with Loch Hope to the right.

You start the walk from Alltnacaillich sheep pens which are about 15km down this road. If you are coming from the south it's just past Dun Dornaigil Broch.

Dun Dornaigil Broch  I don't think you will miss it. By the way there is another one further up the Strath.

The walk - yes there is a hill walk in this story!!

It must have been about 4 pm when I started this walk, I had stopped and bought some grub for the climb in Thurso and I had taken a small rucksack with me. Parked at the sheep pens and crossed the road. Took route one from the sheep pens, across a boggy and steepish bit through heather. Just to cheer you up you start at 20m above sea level and have to climb to 927m. Its about 6.5km to the top, steep to start then on to a plateau and a steeper climb to the top it's quite an easy walk. A fittish person would be up and back in 4 hours. I crossed a burn Allt na Caillich which has a nice waterfall at around the 200m contour and came on the path, a rocky well worn path coming up from south of where I started. Got up onto the plateau  it was an easy walk across the plateau and as you climb out of the Strath you start to see over the surrounding hills. When you get to about 400m it gets steeper but there is a path up or at least there was in 2004. The steepest bit is from about 560m to around 750m , a wee bit of puffing and panting required up here and then an easy walk to the top. On a clear day you can see for miles with Orkney to the north visible. Had a bite to eat and a drink at the summit as it was tea time anyway and took a few photos of the views.

      

Trig point on Ben Hope 927m.

I think that's Ben Loyal in the distance.

Looking north with Loch Hope down below - you really don't want to go off down that way. Climbers might go that way down, straight down that is. If you are up here in the clag take extra care which way you leave the summit. I would recommend south if you want to get home in one piece.

The view to the west, a tad rocky here.

Now the reason I wanted to climb Ben Hope was - I had came up with a cunning plan that I would climb the  4 points of the compass, Ben Hope being the most northerly, Mount Keep being the most westerly, Ben Lomond being the most Southerly and  Sgurr na Banachdaich on Skye the most westerly. All climbed now apart from Sgurr na Banachdaich due to the fact I chickened out 30m from the top. The 2000 foot drop each side of the narrow ledge I was standing on at the time in An Dorus had a bit to do with it also the 10 foot vertical climb out of An Dorus. 

For all those who did the four point of the compass charity climb taking in Ben More on Mull it's not the farthest west Munro, Sgurr na Banachdaich on Skye is 7.5km further west and a lot harder to climb. Keep up the charity work though.

Well here I was on top of the most northerly Munro on a nice clear evening with good visibility all round what more could you ask for? ( better grub would have been nice) It's all downhill from here.

As Andy Pandy used to say " time to go home ", showing my age here.

I set off down, now it's a bad idea to start jogging when you are on a steep slope going down, I don't know how those fell runners do it. What a sod it is to stop.

Had to turn sideways so it was flat to get stopped. After running down to the plateau bit I took it easier and walked after that. I was trying to make good time as I still had a 190 mile drive to get home and there was a fair bit of single track road through Sutherland. I met a woman coming up as I was descending. It's very rare that you don't meet someone on a Munro now. I think that out of the 149 + Munros I have climbed on only 2 of them I did not meet someone and one of them was when I was with Graham.  Anyway we chatted for a short while and I carried on down the path, passing the water fall I decided to just follow the path right down to the road, you will never guess what is at the roadside. A great big sign saying the path to Ben Hope, how did I miss that? Hobbled across the tarred road as my feet were quite sore after the climb still 50mt or so to the car. I think I was up and down in about 4 hours possibly even a bit less. Some people climb Ben Hope and Ben Kilbreck in the same day, that would be fit people then.Got into the car and changed my footwear ready for the drive home. 

Now as you will see from the picture above of me at Dun Dornaigil Broch  in 2001 with Ben Hope in the back ground it's a wide road South (not). We met some cows on a trip up here in 2001 and they just looked at the Jeep and carried on standing in the middle of the road, don't think they saw many cars. I had to get out and shoo them off the road to get past.The next picture has nothing to do with this walk, it also happened on our 2001 trip around the top of Scotland. But it was quite amusing so I stuck it in as it happened up near here.

On the road from Durness South.

This bright lamb had seen the grown ups jumping the cattle grid and thought it would give it a go.

It didn't make it, we came on it legs down each side of the metal bars bleating it's head off. As it was a road block I had to get out and lift it out so we could pass. A trick sheep have is to lie on their backs and wriggle across cattle grids. The drive home- slow at first down to Altnaharra where the road improves a bit. Altnaharra has recorded some of the coldest temperatures in Scotland through the winters.  The school here had one deaf person attending so the whole school learned sign language so they would not be left out. Excitement as I was now on an A road - but the A836 still has single track in places. About 7 miles south of Altnaharra you come on one of the most remote Inns in Scotland, The Crask Inn.I am sure people have been snowed in here for days in the past. I've yet to sample its beverages I might some day. There is a hotel further North called the Garvult Hotel it's just about as remote a place but I have sampled the beverages there. NC 781 386 grid if you want to find it , West of Kinbrace on the B871 - if it's still open. Between Altnaharra and the Crask Inn off to the East is Ben Kilbreck another Munro. Take your wellies on that walk - more in a later blog. Not much between the Inn and Lairg which is about 15.5 miles further down the road it's a market town and a good place to sell Highland cattle and sheep.The road improves from here to two lanes. The railway stops at Lairg and the road and railway follow each other down to Invershin where you meet the road coming from the far North West of Scotland.
    On to Bonnar Bridge and across the big metal bridge to Ardgay there used to be a cafe here but I never saw it open. You meet the railway again here heading for Tain. A couple of miles down the road you can opt to go over the Struie to Alness cutting off some of the journey but it's back to single track road in places. There used to be a hotdog van park 1/2 way over but that was years ago don't know if it will still be there. A narrow twisting run down to Alness and onto what seems like a motorway - the road to Inverness with duel carriageway too! The road was very quiet and I made good time down to Inverness and the A96 home. I arrived home about 10.30pm but could have been 11.30pm can't quite remember, knackered after my long journey and my reward for this epic journey a f****g double migraine. I just went to my bed to sleep.- and you thought it had a happy ending. Lol.

Dino60

Some comments would be nice, ta.