Ben Wyvis

Ben Wyvis is a vast sprawling mountain that dominates the view across Easter Ross when travelling between Inverness and Ullapool. The huge west/north-west face combined with a summit plateau at 1,046 m that is unusually grassy for the altitude makes it an obvious objective for pilots wanting to fly the bigger mountains of the Highlands. The 898 m launch on the SW end of the summit plateau — An Cabar (946 m) — works on light NW through W or nil-wind conditions. Landing options are plentiful on the NW (main) face: either at the foot of the hillside before the forest, or, given enough height above take-off, in the meadows beside the Black Water River.

Launch & conditions

From the Garbat car park, a newly built path leads up the Allt a' Bhealaich Mhoir through mixed woodland for a couple of kilometres to a sign marking the Ben Wyvis National Nature Reserve. From there the path steepens and zig-zags up to the top of An Cabar, which forms the SW end of the plateau — many launch options are available here. Don't be tempted to launch lower down the face on stronger days: the scale and topography make this a dangerous mountain to be pinned against and hoovered up.

Getting there & local rules

Park at Garbat, just beyond Garve when travelling north on the A835 (Tore to Ullapool). A well-marked trail leads up through woods to the prominent top of An Cabar. The full ascent is steady but not technical — good hillwalking fitness expected.

Local rules & hazards

Ben Wyvis is in the Highland Restricted Area — midweek flying is subject to strict restrictions. Check wind on the surface of Loch Garve en route: anything more than a very light breeze on the loch usually means it will be too windy on top. In summer the plateau attracts sudden weather changes — save this mountain for very light NW or nil-wind forecasts.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Ben Wyvis, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Ben Wyvis with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.