Scotlands most northerly munro sits proudly looking out toward the North Atlantic, the air is fresh up here, the sun shines bright and the Cleggs… were always on the look out for a bite.

Welcome to Ben Hope.

When you first get into hiking you’ll pick and hill and you’ll walk it. Maybe you’ll check the weather first, if you’re smart. Or maybe you won’t. But it’s just you and the world and nothing else in between… well except this great big expanse of rock.

What surprised me though when I first revisited Mount Snowdon in 2024, was how friendly outdoorsy people are, particularly when you’ve met them on a side of a hill in the absolute middle of nowhere, no matter the condition.

Hikers thrive together and we suffer together.

Today we suffered.

You know those pesky horse flies that bite?

Well they’re known as cleggs up here and they’ll follow you from start to finish on Ben Hope, I kid you not.

Another blue bird day, you think it would be pain free? Except the knee’s perhaps, as one suffering hiker told me on his way down. Filling me with dread, I know you’re hurting buddy. But can we just not mention this part?

I nearly didn’t head out today because of mine, but healing can wait until the winter. Warm Sunny days are few and far between up here.

To set off on the Hike, it’s dead easy. See the sign – “Way of Ben Hope” and head off up the trail. You cannot go wrong.

Even by my navigational standard.

But one thing I was not prepared for was these damn pesky Cleggs!

No breeze meant they would latch onto your trail and land in the most awful of places taking their fill before flying off again.

This in turn would mean you would have to make your own breeze.

Picking up the pace, wafting the air around you and shadow boxking like a prime Mike Tyson. This was honestly, utterly ridiculous. I did what I had to do, to make this some what of a comfortable hike.

I miss the breeze. Can we get some of that back please?

Hiking in Scotland can often mean you are walking a drive-thru, except you’re the snack and the keen insects are ever so excited to get a quick bite as they go about their day.

I wonder if they have ever tasted Sussex blood up here? Because they sure did seem keen for it as one bit me just above my brow as a second vibrated quickly onto my ear and gave me a harsh nip.

Squashed that one with my hand.

Eventually making it to a plateu with the Ben Hope in sight.

Well.

I thought.

Thing is with Ben Hope, just by walking this first part, you certainly don’t want to walk this when its miserable and wet, you’ll have wet feet very quickly, the carved out peat showed that well and it also hid other secrets from eyes. Like issues of the insects and the summit perhaps?

On we hike.

The dry vegetation gave way to typical heavily grazed short growth with flat rock littered all over the face of the hill. I thought I must be nearing the summit as more of the greenery gave way to the grey stone faced. That spurrs me on – Summit not far! I said.

Until a Woman and her Daughter bursed my overconfidence and shouted, “this is the hardest part yet, you can do it!” But in truth, the hardest part was now yet to come. I wasn’t going to get a second wind when I came close to the true summit, and no wind in the matter either those Cleggs were still upon me. Keen for me to slow down to carry on getting their fill.

I had pressed on too fast because I thought I was fast approaching the summit, on for the quickest munro completion of my season, only to realise that I had built a false summit in my head and now I could see the true summit, some way off and some elevation still to climb.

My Heart sank.

And so did my blood level as the bugs continued to harass my shins.

Oh well, that was rather stupid. Lets chat to this wonderful couple who were looking like they were having a tough time.

“Hi Guys, how are you?” I asked,

Panting, the man responded “I am way too unfit for this and these damn bugs are trying to eat me”. We were all in this together.

And that’s what the hills do so well, people from any background, nationality and identity – we can all be so unified in our sufferings on the hillside.

There’s the silver lining in this all I suppose.

Eventually making the summit and looking toward Orkney.

Wow. I really am North arent I?

Heading off the summit, waving to the people I briefly chatted to earlier as they came within site of the summit itself. I left feeling really grateful for the many strangers I meet out on the hills and in daily life in the Hostel.

Those fleeting interactions were something I thought I’d struggle with when I moved up here… But ignoring people on the hill is a big no-no, if you know, you know. They draw me out of my shell, share in my love for the hills and I’m all the more grateful for what they’ve done for me.

Next week, Ben Klibreck and a conversation that may change the course of my life forever.