Scaraben and Morven from Braemore

On the A9 in Caithness, around 55km south of Thurso, the road crosses the Dunbeath Water. Immediately west of the bridge, a staggered junction leads northwards, signposted for Braemore.

A narrow single-track road passes a handful of houses and farm buildings before entering a wide expanse of quiet moorland. The road continues for around 10km to its end. On the approach, rounding a bend, the long ridge of Scaraben and its neighbouring hills comes into view. Shortly after the distinctive cone of Maiden Pap rises, with the summit of Morven peeking above, both standing prominently above the surrounding peatlands.

The public road ends in woodland beside a red telephone box, where a small gravel area overlooking the Berriedale Water provides parking for several vehicles. Signs request that no overnight parking takes place.

From the parking area, a minor road heads left and crosses a bridge over the Berriedale Water. The road then bends right and is used on the return. Instead, a branch through a gate, signed for Scaraben, is taken, where a rough track follows the southern bank of the river downstream briefly before turning south with Scaraben in view directly ahead.

The track passes through a couple of gates near the house of West Cairnfin before continuing onto open hillside. The rough track soon gives way to a set of ATV tracks crossing mainly wet grass-covered ground. These are followed for almost 3km, gradually becoming fainter with height gained before dissolving into a path approaching the bealach between Scaraben and East Scaraben.

The path cuts through heather and reaches a line of old fence posts . Following these, a detour can be made to visit East Scaraben. The posts lead just below the crest, avoiding much of the extensive quartzite boulderfield higher up. A small communications mast is met just below East Scaraben's summit , where a semi-circular cairn stands.

Back at the bealach, a straightforward ascent leads onto Scaraben, with patches of quartzite boulders and stones covering much of the crest. The summit is reached , where a trig point stands sheltered within a circular cairn.

The panorama is extensive, stretching across Caithness to Orkney in clear weather, with offshore windfarms visible in the Moray Firth to the east and Morven dominating the skyline to the west.

Leaving Scaraben, the crest is followed westwards across further quartzite boulderfields. Easier progress can be made by keeping slightly left of the ridge on heather-covered ground, although the stones must eventually be crossed before reaching the bealach and climbing up similar terrain onto Sròn Gharbh , its summit marked by a small cairn.

The route then turns northwards and begins descending. The upper slopes are covered in heather hiding occasional holes and boulders, with a few short steeper sections before the gradient gradually eases. Heather gives way to grass near the watershed before heather once again covers the gentle rise towards Smean.

Passing a curious cup-shaped boulder en route, the crest of Smean is eventually reached. Here a remarkable collection of tors rises from the hillside. The higher tor can be climbed easily from its north-eastern side via a narrow gap. The tor is formed from an unusual conglomerate rock packed with rounded quartzite and granite pebbles firmly cemented together. The rock is surprisingly rough and abrasive when scrambling up.

Beyond Smean, a broad expanse of generally level ground is crossed. Although somewhat damp underfoot with peat hags scattered across the moorland, progress is straightforward towards the heather-covered slopes west of Càrn Mòr and the bealach separating it from Morven.

After crossing the damp grassy ground of the bealach, the ascent of Morven begins on its steep eastern flank. A faint but worn path is picked up and followed as it twists its way through heather, steadily gaining height. Higher up, a boulderfield must be crossed where the line may not always be obvious - pink-tinged stones amongst the otherwise grey rocks subtly indicate the easiest passage. Although the gradient is quite steep and some of the boulders can be loose, no technical difficulties are encountered.

Above the boulderfield, the gradient eases and on grass the route passes around a rocky outcrop before continuing over open ground to Morven's summit . A small cairn marks the highest point.

Views from the summit are superb, with much of Caithness spread out below and extensive panoramas extending across Sutherland to the mountains of Assynt.

The return begins by retracing steps down Morven's eastern slopes to the bealach.

As the path swings northwards, it is left and a north-eastward line is taken across deer grass and damp moorland. Progress is rather rough for around 1km before ATV tracks are picked up and followed towards Corrichoich.

Near the renovated house and surrounding forestry , a good estate track is reached and followed with Maiden Pap in view ahead.

Although rising less than 250m above the track, Maiden Pap's steep-sided profile gives it an imposing appearance and makes it a worthwhile detour - the easiest route to the summit approaches from the southern side, where a faint but obvious path zig-zags up grass and heather between rock outcrops.

Beyond Maiden Pap, the estate track continues towards the houses and lodge at Braemore. As the route nears the buildings, signs direct hillwalkers around them before a track then road returns to the bridge and back to the parking area beside the red telephone box.