Morven and Maiden Pap Walk

The Morven and Maiden Pap Walk climbs the highest point in Caithness — a steep-sided conical peak visible from far across the county — before crossing wild moorland to a smaller, even steeper twin summit, together forming one of the most demanding and distinctive hill days in the far north of Scotland.

The route starts from a small parking area by a phone box at the end of the minor road to Braemore, west of Dunbeath. From here, a track crosses Berriedale Water and passes through the buildings of Braeval before continuing through woodland and out into open country, with the great cone of Morven dominating the skyline ahead. The track ends near a derelict cottage at Corrichoich, after which the going becomes boggy underfoot — a rough ATV track continues for a while, keeping right of a plantation, before petering out on the approach to the bealach between Càrn Mòr and Morven.

The final climb, though foreshortened from this col, remains daunting: an indistinct path through steep heather gives way to rockier ground higher up, with a false summit easily bypassed before the true summit's tiny cairn is reached — a spectacular viewpoint stretching from Ben Hope round the northern coastline to the Cairngorms on the clearest days. From here, the route descends the same steep slopes back to the bealach before climbing the pathless, heathery flank of Càrn Mòr and continuing to the huge conglomerate tors of Smean, whose highest point is reached via an easy gully on its northern side.

Beyond Smean, the route crosses boggy, pathless moorland towards the improbable, almost architectural silhouette of Maiden Pap — a miniature Morven, its slopes even steeper though far shorter, with the summit crags passed to the right or breached through a narrow gap to reach the tiny, cairnless top. The descent tackles the very steep northern slopes with great care, following a faint path back down to heather moorland and the outward track.

This is a genuinely serious undertaking — boggy moorland, pathless terrain, and two summits with slopes steep enough to demand real care, particularly in descent or wet conditions, mean this walk should be reserved for experienced hillwalkers with good navigation skills and full waterproofs.

Parking at the Braemore road end is free; there is no public transport to the start.