Ben Stack

Rising in a near-perfect cone between Loch Stack and Loch More, this Sutherland Graham offers a surprisingly steep character for its modest height. Its isolated position in the far north-west provides an exceptional sense of scale, with the jagged Lewisian gneiss landscapes of the Reay Forest unfolding from its airy summit.

• •The name derives from the Scottish Gaelic Beinn Stac, where 'stac' originates from the Old Norse stakkr, meaning a haystack; it perfectly describes the hill's remarkably symmetrical, conical profile when viewed from the north-west.
• •In August 2005, the mountain gained national attention following the sudden death of former UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who suffered a heart attack while hillwalking near the summit.
• •From the summit, the view north across the peat bogs of the Reay Forest is dominated by the massive, pale quartzite ramparts of Arkle and the multi-peaked, shattered ridge of Foinaven.
• •While the ascent via the long south-eastern ridge of Leathad na Stioma is relatively steady, the alternative path from Lochstack Lodge is significantly more direct and offers a relentless gradient from the outset.
• •Despite falling just 41 metres short of Corbett status, Ben Stack’s steepness and isolation ensure that anyone reaching the summit will feel they have earned every inch of the climb.