Ben Hee

About Ben Hee

Rising above the lonely shores of Loch Merkland, this bulky Corbett offers an expansive, wild perspective of Sutherland’s desolate interior. The ascent is largely pathless over quartzite scree and moorland, leading to a sprawling summit plateau that feels significantly more remote than its proximity to the A838 road suggests.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Scottish Gaelic Beinn Shìth, meaning 'Fairy Mountain'. In local folklore, such peaks were often considered the dwelling places of the Sìthe—supernatural beings or spirits—reflecting the hill's ethereal appearance when mist clings to its quartzite-streaked slopes.
• •From the summit, the view north across the flow country is exceptional, looking towards the lone sentinel of Ben Hope and the jagged 'Queen of Scottish Mountains', Ben Loyal. To the west, the distinctive shark-fin profile of Suilven is often visible against the complex glitter of the Inverpolly lochans.
• •Ben Hee marks the southern gateway to the Reay Forest, an ancient hunting forest that contains some of the most remote land in Britain. Despite being located remarkably close to the main road, the terrain quickly transitions into a vast, roadless wilderness that stretches north toward the coast.
• •Despite being named the 'Fairy Mountain', any whimsical notions of a magical ascent are usually dispelled by the reality of the lower slopes, which consist of the standard, unyielding Sutherland cocktail of peat hags and hidden bog.