Arkle - Foinaven / Integral Traverse

Location: Above Laxford Bridge, Sutherland.

Length: 26km / 16 miles

Time: 12 hours

Difficulty: This is a very long and arduous walk, with many sections of strenuous ascent; the going is predominantly over rough and difficult terrain. Add to all this the extreme remoteness, and it will be clear that this is a very serious and demanding proposition.

Seasons:

Summer conditions may be expected from June to September; winter conditions from October to May. Deer stalking may be in progress from August to October.

Geology:

The rock is predominantly white-grey quartzitecapping Lewissian gneiss. Blocky scree and bouldery ground make it very strenuous underfoot.

Flora and Fauna:

Golden Eagle, buzzard, snow bunting, peregrine, cormorant, greylag geese, and greenshank and also red deer and wildcat. Devil's-bit scabious, royal fern & mossy saxifrage grow in this region.

Comment:

This is a real wilderness challenge and a marvellous ridge walk with sustained interest, particularly along Fionaven's narrow undulating crest and follows a linear route.

This walk should not be underestimated, and once you have successfully achieved the summits, the route back is long and tiring.

The landscape of these far northern climes is vastly different to any other in Britain. It has an incomparably ancient, timeless feel, of desolate vastness and openness of sky. It is a world of endless moor and loch, the distant mountains looming upwards like giants of wizened grey, heads bleached white by weather and age.

Lewissian gneiss is the dominant rock, capped by quartzite on the tops. It's great longevity puts things into perspective, for it is one of the oldest rocks in the world and has stood here for some three billion years: our fleeting existence by comparison hardly registers.

The long ridge of Foinaven is most remarkable.

From the south and west its apparently rounded shoulders belie the reality, because it is in fact sensuously narrow, even knife-edged in places, requiring your constant vigilence and energy.

Ceann Garbh - 902m / 2959ft