Ben Griam Beg

Nearest town:
Thurso (39km NE)
OS reference:
NC831411
OS sheet:
10
Latitude:
58° 20' 34.63 N
Longitude:
3° 59' 49.92 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Ben Griam Beg (Hillfort) by thelonious

01/07/2022 – Heading down the east side of hillfort. Not much to see this side, just great views. Why didn’t they build walls this side? Anyone’s guess really.

thelonious
thelonious Jul 7, 2022
Image of Ben Griam Beg (Hillfort) by thelonious

01/07/2022 – Summit area of Ben Griam Beg hillfort. Mist starting to lift again.

thelonious
thelonious Jul 7, 2022
Image of Ben Griam Beg (Hillfort) by thelonious

01/07/2022 – Stone structures between the first enclosure wall and second wall.

thelonious
thelonious Jul 7, 2022
Image of Ben Griam Beg (Hillfort) by thelonious

01/07/2022 – Looking over the first enclosure wall to Meall a’ Bhuirich. Just a fantastic view from here.

thelonious
thelonious Jul 7, 2022
Image of Ben Griam Beg (Hillfort) by thelonious

01/07/2022 – Round stone structures outside the enclosure wall. Ground is steep here.

thelonious
thelonious Jul 7, 2022
Image of Ben Griam Beg (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Dubious shot taken through a begrimed train window, between Kinbrace and Forsinard on the Thurso line. Ben Griam Beg is on the right, Ben Griam Mor to the left. if you squint, you can see a herd of red deer in the middle ground.

Image credit: A. Brookes (16.10.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 16, 2013

Articles

Ben Griam Beg

thelonious
thelonious Jul 7, 2022

01/07/2022 – It had been a long 12 years since we were last here. I haven’t planned a revisit, yet here we were, plodding up the hill again. We were staying in the nearby Garvault Hotel for a few days (sign above the door stating it was mainland Britain’s most remote hotel). It’s quite a unique place and well worth a stay. Nice folk who live/work there. Main reason we were here was for the walking. If you like lonely quiet landscapes, this is the place to be.

Starting the day from the hotel we took the track north towards Loch Coire nam Mang. Our destination was Meall a’ Bhuirich, the hill behind the Bens Beg and Mor. As it was the last day of the trip and we didn’t have to save the legs any more, we decided to detour and head for Ben Griam Beg first. Seeing it, with it’s misty morning hat on, as we rounded the loch, the pull proved too strong.

The walk round the south side of the two lochs to the base of Ben Griam Beg is a bit of a bash. I was tired before we even started the climb. Even Mrs T was finding it hard going today and she’s stronger than me. It had been a long week. Still up we went, plod, plod. It’s only about 200m gain until you reach the first of the stone structures. We were glad to get there. I don’t remember having a good look round on our last visit. We were in no rush today so decided to have a proper look this time.

I’ll put up a link to a plan of the enclosure complex below. If you go, it’s worth taking with you. The hillfort is big. – Ben Griam Beg – plan of enclosure complex canmore.org.uk/collection/1401493

Just before you get to the first big wall at around 450m, there are a series of round stone structures and low walls. I found these the most interesting part of the complex. What were they for? Hut circles? The ground is so steep here, hard to believe they were homes. Aerial photos on OSmaps or Canmore show these off nicely. Next we crossed the first big stone wall. It’s about 500m long, protecting the south side of the hill. Big stones used for this one. Another 100m gain, passing more stone structures, and we reached the second wall. This is fainter but leads to a third much bigger inner wall that surrounds what could be described as the principle enclosure at the summit. There is a broken trigpoint at the top, 580m – making it the highest hillfort in Scotland.

It was a misty day and the cloud was down over the last 150m gain. I liked the peace it gave the top and enclosure. We weren’t here alone. Two lovely ptarmigan were walking the walls. Not sure I’ve seen them this low down before. A nice surprise.

We had our lunch by the trig. Apart from the mist, the weather wasn’t too bad. Little wind and just the odd shower passing through.

We headed down the east side and then south to visit Meall a’ Bhuirich (nice hill) and then back to the hotel via Ben Griam Mor (the last climb was tough, my legs were done by this point).

It was a fantastic day out. Just us and the hills. The hillfort is a WOW and I was so happy to have got a second chance to visit. I hate saying an out of the way site is a must visit but this hillfort really is. It just happens to be a little bit in the middle of nowhere. There are train stations not to far away and the drive is easy. The walk up isn’t too bad, I was just tired that day. Probably not one for bad weather though.

The whole complex is massive. It must have taken many people to build. More like a hill-city than a hillfort. If you get a chance, it’s well worth the trip. My favourite hillfort, I think so.

Ben Griam Beg

thelonious
thelonious Apr 16, 2011

16/05/2010 – Ever since I visited Tap o’ Noth, Scotland’s second highest Hillfort I’ve always wanted to visit here, Ben Griam Beg – Scotland’s Highest.

Ben Griam Beg with it’s brother Ben Griam Mor make for a great walk, starting from near the Garvault Hotel.

It’s hard to believe people stayed and built a fort here. Remote is a good word. Great place.

canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/6792/details/ben+griam+beg/

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