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Mountain Ranges:
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Walks in the Crianlarich and Trossahs HillsIndex to Walks in this Section
Meall nan Gabhar6 April 2008
Meall nan Gabhar appeared to be a bit problematic in relation to access as the map showed the approach from the A85 Tyndrum to Dalmally Road was obstructed by a forest. An alternative was a long approach from Glen Falloch on the A82 south of Crianlarich where a cycle could be used for part of the route. In the morning it was windy with frequent snow showers so I thought that I would explore the northern approach as the forest would afford some shelter and as the weather wasn’t great I could abandon the ascent if there wasn’t a way onto Meall nan Gabhar. A forest track left the A85 just west of the road to Glen Orchy and opposite the house at Corryghoil. There was no signs preventing me driving up this track for nearly two kilometres to the bridge leading to Succoth Lodge. Here a sign, near a gate, did indicate that vehicular access was forbidden without permission so I parked nearby and continued through the forest on foot. The vehicle track crossed under the railway line and followed a line of pylons before turning 90 degrees to continue up through the forest. At the point where the forest track did a U turn a new track, not shown on my map, headed down to and across the Allt Coire Lair and then north along its east bank, possibly to join the track shown on the map south of the Allt a'Chaorainn. Some tree felling had taken place on the east side of the Allt Coire Lair and although the going was rough and awkward over some felled trees which had been left to decay I found a route through them. A deer fence also had to be scaled but at least I had found a route towards Meall nan Gabhar. The ground was fairly solid due to the cold weather with some snow cover and I worked my way onto its south-west ridge. Once on the ridge I had a views to the Munro Beinn Bhuidhe and the Cruachan mountains. A snow storm latter blotted out these hills but missed me. As I gained height there were views south to Ben Vorlich and Ben Vane. I eventually reached the summit of Meall nan Gabhar as shown on my map, where it was very windy. However I had read that the true summit was now being stated as the knoll to its south-east so I walked over to it. From these knolls I had views of the snow clad Munros of Beinn a’Chleibh, Ben Lui and Ben Oss. I continued south-east to Meall nan Tighearn where the views of these mountains were even better. The long alternative route from Glen Falloch was also visible as were the Crianlarich Hills and the Corbett Meall an Fhudair. The return was across some icy ground onto the south-west ridge of Meall nan Gabhar and back to the start by my ascent route. I was glad I had climbed Meall nan Gabhar from the north as it was a lot shorter and I didn't have to use a cycle. However for anyone planning on following this route it is possible to cycle from the A85 up through the forest to the Allt Coire Lair.
Beinn Bhalgairean20 January 2008
This Graham is located to the south-east of the village of Dalmally and can be accessed through Brackley Farm. However parking or even stopping on the busy A85 was rather hazardous so I parked in the village. A new Health Centre, not on my map, had recently been constructed on the eastern outskirts of the village so I used their car park as it was a Sunday and the Health Centre was closed. I walked back along the A85 for around 350 metres and up the un-tarred road to Brackley Farm. I worked my way round the farm, over the railway line via a bridge and entered a field. I stayed on the vehicle track which went steeply uphill before leaving it and following another track through the field towards the forest. Once through a further gate I crossed a small stream onto a recently upgraded section of track which took me to a wide wet and boggy area. I had views back to Ben Cruachan, the Dalmally Horeshoe, Beinn a'Chochuill and Beinn Eunaich. Once across this area I joined another section of improved track where several new fences had been built, including deer fences. Beyond the top end of the forest the track became wet and in places boggy but I soon left it and climbed onto Meall Breac. Thereafter I followed the Allt Mhaluidh until I could see the summit of Beinn Bhalgairean. To reach the summit I had to avoid some deep wet snow before a steeper section took me to the summit. There was a cairn there but it didn't appear to be located on the highest point. It was cold and windy on the summit so I found some shelter for a break looking over to the cloud covered summits of Beinn na Sroine, Meall nan Gabhar, Meall an Fhudair and Beinn Bhuidhe. I returned towards Meall Breac before taking a more direct line to the edge of the forest and followed my upward route back to Brackley Farm and Dalmally. At the farm the hook on the gate had been knocked off since I had passed through the gate in the morning. When I saw the farmer he advised me that he had just moved some cows and the bull had gone a bit wild and had damaged the fence and gate. Thankfully I had missed that excitement.
Fiarach23 December 2007
The forecast was for the weather to deteriorate later in the day so I decided on this short ascent of the Graham Fiarach. The starting point was the car park at Dalrigh on the west side of the A82 between Crianlarich and Tyndrum. This is also one of the starting points for Beinn Dubhchraig and Ben Lui. The short walk to the bridge over the River Fillan was rather treacherous as the tarred road was just a sheet of ice. Once across the bridge I took a right and followed the vehicle track which led to the bridge over the railway line. Once over the bridge I continued along the icy track towards Gleann Auchreoch and on reaching the forest followed its edge uphill. Care was still required due to ice but the advantage was that it was easier to cross the boggy sections. Navigation wasn't a problem as a fence continued to the frozen Loch Fiarach and onwards towards the summit. The gradient beyond the Loch eased and was rather boggy, although fortunately for me frozen. There were several fences crossing the area which could be confusing in bad weather but one of the fences led towards the summit cairn which was perched on top of some crags. It was rather cold and windy on the top but I managed to find some shelter for a bite to eat before heading back to Loch Fiarach. From here I took a more direct route to the railway bridge used on the upward route and followed the vehicle track back to the start.
Meall Odhar2 December 2007
Tyndrum was the starting point for this walk and it is a very interesting wee village. There were gold and lead mines worked here and it has two railway stations, which is rather unusual for such a small hamlet. It is popular for the Green Welly Stop, which is on the main road north from Glasgow to Fort William, it is on the route of the West Highland Way and a tour bus company is based here. I parked beside the Lower Station, which is on the railway line for Oban, and crossed the line at the level crossing before walking north-west through a forest along the side of the railway line. After around 650 metres the path left the railway line and climbed through the forest and later became rather steep and stony as it reached the old lead mine workings which date back to the beginning of the 18th century. The lead mine area was fenced off with numerous warning signs but a stony path wound its way uphill on the north side of the old mine. The views back down into Tyndrum and Strath Fillan were inspiring with patches of low cloud hanging around and as height was gained the snow capped peaks of the surrounding mountains came into view. The path continued to well above the old lead mine and thereafter an easy short walk led to the summit cairn of Sron nan Colan where I sat for a while taking in the views. There was no wind and despite the snow capped tops it wasn't too cold. Sron nan Colan wasn't my target hill it was further west so a short descent took me to the top of the tree line above Cononish Glen. It was a bit boggy here as I walked between a few stunted trees before commencing the ascent of Meall Odhar, which was rocky in places. There were some deer feeding on the horizon but they soon disappeared. It was a relatively easy ascent and just before the summit I came across a couple of stags but they had also spotted me and ran off before I could get a decent photograph of them with the snow capped Beinn Chuirn in the background. From the summit of Meall Odhar I again had some good views including the Crianlarich Hills, Ben Oss and Beinn Dubhchraig, Ben Lui, the Tyndrum Corbetts, Beinn Dorain and Beinn a'Chreachain and away north to Meall a'Bhuiridh and Creise. Once I had tried to name all the visible hills I returned to the tree line east of Meall Odhar and followed the Allt nan Sae through the forest into Cononish Glen. This route was rather boggy in places churned up by the deer but at least there was a gap in the trees instead of fighting my way through the forest. On reaching the vehicle track on the north side of the River Cononish I walked along it for a few metres before following another vehicle track that climbed through the forest before descending to the Lower Station at Tyndrum and the end of a very pleasant circular walk to the Graham, Meall Odhar.
Meall Mor22 September 2007
I had been contemplating the ascent of this isolated Graham for a couple of years and had thought of combining it with the Corbett Stob a’Choin but I was glad I hadn’t as it was a tough hill to climb in its own right. The start of this walk was the car park at Inverlochlarig where the fairly large car park fills quickly on a fine day. Fortunately when I arrived there were only two other vehicles there. I walked to Inverlochlarig Farmhouse and as per the request on the car park notice board I enquired whether there was any stalking taking place that day to be told there was none. I continued through the farm buildings and along the vehicle track on the north side of the River Larig. It would be quite possible to use a mountain bike on this track. After around four kilometres I left the track and crossed some wet and boggy ground to the River Larig, which I crossed. There was no improvement in the condition of the vegetation on the south side of the river, in fact it was worse with the boggy ground churned up by cattle hooves. It took me some time to find the best route across the bog before the climb of Stob an Duibhe commenced. The higher I climbed the steeper the hill became and I was forced to zig zag my way up the hill. On reaching the summit of Stob an Duibhe I realised that I had been sheltered from the wind. It was rather cold and windy on the summit where I had views of Lochs Katrine and Lomond as well as the Crianlarich mountains. The descent of the west ridge of Stob an Duibhe for around 80 metres was rather steep and rocky. There were some old fence posts along this ridge but they weren’t always positioned on the best descent route. The walk continued along the ridge with several ups and downs and here I heard the roar of a stag from Glen Gyle in the south-west. The first roar of the year so the rut had started and it would now be easier to spot the stags on the mountainsides. It took some time to traverse this ridge but I eventually arrived at the highest point on Meall Mor which was marked by a small cairn. I had good views in all directions including Ben Lomond to the south. I sought some shelter on the north side of the mountain behind a large boulder looking towards my ascent route. On arrival at this boulder I had obviously disturbed a herd of deer who ran off to the west but my attention was drawn to a ledge below me where a fox was wandering around sniffing out some prey. I watched this fox, which was unaware of my presence, for some time before sitting down to eat my lunch. As I was about to leave I spotted a fellow walker above me who I think must have ascended from Glen Gyle. I descended steeply down the north side of Meall Mor avoiding lots of rocky outcrops and lower down avoiding a herd of cattle in the glen. I did have a short section of wet and boggy ground to cross before reaching the River Larig. I crossed the river and then followed the vehicle track back to the car park in a pleasant sunny afternoon.
Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a’Chreachain3 September 2007
We met in the car park on the south side of the Bridge of Orchy Hotel and drove the few miles north on the A82 to Achallader Farm. The farmer permits parking beside the farm buildings thus avoiding about a mile of walking from the main road. The route through the farm was signposted and led to the railway line which we crossed by means of a footbridge. Beyond the bridge the ground was rather wet and boggy as we walked up into Coire Achaladair and then Coire Daingean before reaching the bealach between Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Achaladair. Although the sun appeared now and again there was a cold north wind so it was fairly chilly for early September. We climbed Beinn Achaladair’s south ridge, over the South Top and onto the summit cairn of Beinn Achaladair where we had good views out over Loch Tulla. The descent was down the north-east ridge which in places followed the edge of the north face and at times was fairly steep on an eroded path. The bealach was subsequently reached and we joined the route I had taken a month earlier when I climbed Beinn Mhanach with Beinn a’Chreachain. This was up the south-west ridge, over the Munro Top Meall Buidhe and onto the summit of Beinn a’Chreachain. Here we stopped for lunch although it was a bit chilly sitting there due to the cool breeze. I had been advised by the estate owner that they would be shooting on the north side of Beinn a’Chreachain and that access to the hills we had climbed wasn’t a problem. He also told me that the shooting party would be fairly obvious to me. There was no sign of the shooting party as suggested so we descended Beinn a’Chreachain’s north-west ridge where we spotted a herd of deer which ran off. They appeared to be hinds and as it was the stag stalking season I wasn’t too worried about this. From the 961 Point we descended to the Allt Coire an Lochain and followed the path beside this stream to the railway where we used a small underpass to reach the other side. Beyond that the ground was very wet and boggy and in places pathless but we headed for the bridge over the River Tulla which isn’t shown on the map but from my previous outing I knew it existed. Once we crossed the river we followed the track, in a fine sunny afternoon, back to Achallader Farm.
Beinn Mhanach and Beinn a'Chreachain28 July 2007
The start of this walk was Achallader Farm on the east side of the A82 north of Bridge of Orchy opposite Loch Tulla. The farm owner kindly permits free parking within the farm yard a saving of around 3 kilometres if walking to and from the A82. However they do have a container where you can contribute towards the Oban Mountain Rescue Team, a worthwhile cause on its own, but even more so to keep the parking area available to walkers. I left my car, walked through the farm, and along a vehicle track to a railway bridge. This bridge, which was for walkers only, had obviously been repaired recently and once across it I followed a path up the west side of the Allt Coire Achaladair. The path, which was wet and boggy in places, led to a double corrie, firstly Coire Achaladair and then Coire Daingean. At the bealach above Coire Daingean I traversed below Beinn Achaladair before descending to the bealach above Gleann Cailliche from where I climbed over the east shoulder of Beinn a'Chuirn to another bealach this time between Beinn a'Chuirn and Beinn Mhanach. From here it was an easy walk to the summit cairn of Beinn Mhanach where a cold wind was blowing. I didn't remain long at this summit due to the wind and descended to the head of Gleann Cailliche below the bealach I had used earlier. I then climbed grassy slopes to my fourth bealach of the day situated east of Beinn Achaladair from where I ascended the Munro Top Meall Buidhe. Unfortunately I was now in the cloud with more wind and some rain. I walked along a fairly level ridge followed by a slight descent to a col and finally the ascent of Beinn a'Chreachain. There were no views from this summit so I headed down the north-west ridge above Coire an Lochain but as I did so the cloud began to lift from the Coire revealing the north side of the ridge. I did not travel as far as the 961 point where there was a path but descended into the corrie where I joined the path at the side of the Allt Coire an Lochain. There were several areas closed off on this descent with deer fences. Although there were stiles the marked route appeared to continue down the burn side to the railway line where there was a low underpass. Once on the north side of the railway line I lost any path, if it existed, as I crossed some very wet vegetation where I disturbed a lone stag. I eventually found the path again which led to a footbridge, not shown on my map, but it allowed me to cross the Water of Tulla and walk west on the vehicle track on the north side of the river. At the ruin at Barravourich another bridge, wide enough for vehicles but a bit rotten, allowed me to re-cross the river and head back to Achallader Farm arriving there just before another shower of rain.
Beinn Tulaichean and Cruach Ardrain20 July 2007
I met my client, Linda, in Lochearnhead and we drove south on the A84 to the Kingshouse Hotel and thereafter along the unclassified road passed Balquhidder to the car park just east of Inverlochlarig Farm. We walked along the farm road, crossed the Inverlochlarig Burn by a bridge and took the signposted route up the side of the stream. The path was very wet and muddy but it soon joined the vehicle track that headed up Inverlochlarig Glen. We soon left this track and headed uphill towards Beinn Tulaichean. The hillside was fairly wet and boggy underfoot and higher up the vegetation was almost knee deep which meant for wet trousers. The cloud base was fairly low, around 400 metres, so it was just the sake of seeking the best route through the vegetation trying to avoid large areas of bracken and some rocky ground. Higher up the walking was easier with the shorter grass and at times there were traces of a path. Where possible we followed these paths which eventually led to the summit cairn of Beinn Tulaichean. There was no advantage in remaining at the summit as there were no views and the visibility was still poor so we descended Beinn Tulaichean’s north-west ridge following a path which continued to the summit of Cruach Ardrain. Here we stopped for lunch and were joined by a chap from Orkney who had ascended Cruach Ardrain from the west. He was on his third round of Munros. We returned to the bealach between Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean and descended east down the hillside, avoiding a few gullies, and lower down we came out of the cloud. Route finding was now easier as we headed for the vehicle track in Inverlochlarig Glen which was followed to the farm and the short stroll to the car park.
Beinn an Dothaidh1 March 2007
The starting point for this walk was the Railway Station at Bridge of Orchy, located on the east side of the A82 Glasgow to Fort William road. Walkers are encouraged to park their vehicles on the opposite side of the road beside the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. We crossed the railway line using the underpass, went through a gate and were immediately on the open hillside. It was windy, as per the forecast, with some cloud on the higher summits. An eroded path was followed up the south side of the Allt Coire an Dothaidh. We encountered a snow shower as the path became very boggy. Once beyond the bog the path was steeper as we entered Coire and Dothaidh and reached the snow line. From here the path was stony with a covering of snow and some icy patches and this led to the bealach between Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Dorain. It was still very windy but the earlier cloud was clearing and the snow covered Glen Etive Munros were at their best in the sunlight. The next section of this walk involved a climb to the bealach between the 1000 metre west summit of Beinn an Dothaidh and its highest point. Here there was more lying snow and at times spin drift swirling around in the wind which wasn’t as strong as earlier. However a lot of the lying snow surrounding the summit had been blown away in the earlier strong wind leaving a slightly icy crust. On reaching the summit of Beinn an Dothaidh we had some fantastic views of the surrounding mountains including the Cruchan Group, the earlier mentioned Glen Etive hills, Beinn Achaladair and its neighbours and Ben More and Stob Binnein. We spent some time there taking in all these views and identifying the different summits before heading over to the south summit where we had some alternative views. From the south summit we descended towards our upward route and returned to the bealach. We then followed the ascent route path back to the Railway Station at Bridge of Orchy. By this time the wind had dropped considerably and it was a lot milder.
Uamh Bheag11 February 2007
The previous day’s heavy snow had taken a bit of shift after some overnight rain and milder temperatures. With this in mind and the possibility that the snow higher up would be rather wet making for some tough walking I decided to climb this Graham rather than some of the higher mountains. I drove up the road signposted to Bracklinn Falls from the main A84 road that runs through Callander. Once beyond the houses the road became single track and passed the car park for the Falls. I continued along this public road to a parking area at the northern end of the forest. Here a track took me down to the bridge over the Keltie Water and into the forest. I continued along the snow covered track to a ‘T’ junction and took the higher path out of the forest. It was a bit colder and windier here and the vehicle track had a good walking surface although it was still covered in a few patches of wet snow. There was also evidence that a vehicle had been along the track, probably the previous day. The track soon dropped slightly to cross an unnamed stream before rising again on a gradual gradient. It passed close to what must have been an old farm named Leathan Dhail but there is only a large hut and some sheep pens left there now. The vehicle track continued up the north-west side of Meall Leathan Dhail and into the cloud the base of which had lowered. There was a lot of drifting snow on the south-east side of the track with evidence of sheep having tried to get through. I eventually came to the end of the track as shown on the map. I was surprised that it did end at this point as frequently tracks continue beyond what is shown on the map as the estate gradually extend them. From this point I crossed some rough ground with the hollows concealed by wet snow. It was around two kilometres from the end of the vehicle track to the summit of Uamh Beag but it was to be tough going. The first section involved a slight descent to a stream where there was a fence to cross as well. On the other side of the fence there were some sheep and they had made various trails through the snow. I tried to utilise them as I followed a bearing set for the summit. It wasn’t always possible to stay on the bearing as there were lots of snow drifts to avoid. I had to try and find the easiest route round them and at the same time try to remain in the correct direction as visibility was poor and I could only see around 25 metres. I eventually came to another fence, which possibly led to the summit but it wasn’t going in the correct direction. I had my GPS with me to confirm my position. To be honest that is all I ever use the GPS for as I haven’t learned how the other functions work. My bearing led to a slight drop before continuing the ascent of Uamh Bheag. The snow was a bit drier and was beginning to hold my weight. I still tried to avoid the drifts but they were becoming more frequent and I had to climb over them. Visibility was even poorer now and at one point it was difficult to tell what was snow and what was cloud. The snow and cloud gave the impression that it was going to be a rocky approach to the summit but in fact it was just wind swept stones. This part of the ascent was sheltered and I had thought about having lunch on the summit. Out of the cloud appeared a fence which was coated in snow and ice and nearby was the cairn which marked the highest point of Uamh Bheag. Three fences in fact met at this point. It started to rain just as I arrived on the summit so I about turned and headed back down the hill. This was a lot easier than the ascent as I just followed my bootprints. Lower down I did stop in the rain for something to eat as the cloud had lifted briefly. Nearer the path some of my bootprints had disappeared as the snow had melted. On reaching the path I followed it back to the start. I eventually cleared the cloud and had views over towards the Campsies where it was brightening up. Ben Vorlich was also visible although the summit was still in cloud. I am told that Uamh Bheag is a tough mountain to ascend due to the terrain so the snow and poor visibility just added to the challenge.
Stob Breac10 February 2007
This walk meant a return to Inverlochlarig which had been the starting point for the ascent of Stob Binnein five days earlier. (see below) On that occasion the weather had been sunny with a cold wind and some good views but this morning it was cloudy and windy with sleet, and snow above 200 metres. There is a car park just east of Inverlochlarig, accessed by a single track road from Balquhidder along the northern shores of Lochs Voil and Doine. Balquhidder itself is a few miles west of the A84 Strathyre to Lochearnhead Road. We left the car park and walked along the vehicle track towards Blaircreich Farm crossing the River Larig by a bridge before passing an old house, now empty, which was not shown on the map. Just beyond this house a track left the farm road and headed into the forest. There was a locked six foot high gate but a stile to its west afforded access. The track had a light covering of wet snow which made it slippery but as height was gained the snow was drier and there was a more substantial covering. At a junction we took the track heading south up Glen Sgionie. It was snowing and a bit windy with some blowing snow. There were lots of animal tracks but we never saw the culprits. We continued up Glen Sgionie for around half an hour until we came to what appeared to be a suitable fire break in the forest. Here we left the forest track and headed uphill through the firebreak. It was very sheltered here and we stopped for a short break as the weather conditions higher up wouldn’t permit a snack halt. Thereafter we continued up the fire break to the edge of the forest at around 450 metres. It was still snowing and on leaving the protection of the forest we were confronted with the wind and some spin drift. We continued in the same direction and arrived on the south ridge of Stob Breac around one kilometre from its summit. However it was very windy here with lots of blowing snow and visibility was reduced due to the low cloud. It was hard going in the cross wind especially at the cols and progress was very slow. There were some snow drifts which were already knee deep. I was measuring the distance travelled by pacing as timing wouldn't have worked due to the wind slowing us down and at times bringing us to a halt. My fellow walker was operating a GPS, a useful tool in these conditions, as there were several knolls to cross. I had a record of the grid reference for the summit which was needed. Eventually we reached what we agreed was the summit, a rock on top of a knoll. The GPS confirmed this as it was impossible to tell by the white wilderness around us. We returned along the south ridge but only as far as a peaty and wind swept col. It was decided that at this point we would leave the ridge rather that fight against the wind and blowing snow and headed down the side of a stream. However as is common in the mountains the wind and snow were coming from various directions with lots of spin drift. There were some rocky outcrops to avoid but we reached the top end of the forest beside a fire break. This fire break was a bit steeper and rougher that the one we had used earlier but at least we were out of the wind and spin drift. The fire break was followed to the track but the majority of our bootprints had been covered by fresh snow. There were some animal tracks and we eventually spotted a red deer which disappeared into the forest. This was the only wild life we saw other than a robin at the start pf the walk that had decided to have a look in my car. We followed the track back to the car park but it must have been a degree or two milder as some of the snow on the lower section of the forest track had turned to slush. Stob Breac is only a Graham, but despite that the wind and wintry conditions made it rather hard going and as tough as some higher mountains that I have climbed.
Stob Binnein5 February 2007
Stob Binnein can be climbed from Glen Banchor in the north and include Ben More in the ascent or from the south near Inverlochlarig Farm. My client had already climbed Ben More in winter conditions so it was decided that the southern approach would be more suitable. Inverlochlarig Farm is accessed along a single track road from Balquhidder which is just west of the A84 Strathyre to Lochearnhead road. There is a car park just over half a kilometre east of Inverlochlarig Farm on the south side of the road. From the car park we crossed the road and a stile and headed steeply uphill following a walker’s path which was eroded in places. It was a frosty morning, the sun was shinning and visibility was good. There were only a few patches of snow on the surrounding mountains. On the ascent we spotted a number of deer before reaching another stile higher up. Above this stile the ascent was slightly steeper before the path crossed below Stob Invercarnaig and headed for an unnamed knoll. Here there was an icy wind but we managed to find some shelter for a break before continuing. The next section of the walk was on more level terrain with some patches of snow on the eastern corries. Further on we climbed the ridge shown on the map as Na Staidhrichean before ascending the Munro Top, Stob Coire an Lochain. After a short descent with more lying snow, all of which we managed to avoid, we made the final ascent to Stob Binnein. The area surrounding this Munro was covered in hoar frost and the wind was very cold. However visibility was very good and we had good views down Loch Tay, over to the Ben Lawers range and of Ben Lui to mention a few. We spent a while taking in the views before we returned by the route of ascent making a couple of stops en route, one for a late lunch. There was more high cloud by now but the weather was still superb for a winter walk in February.
The Braes of Balquidder17 December 2006
The drive along the unclassified single track road, from the Kingshouse Hotel on the A84 Callander to Lochearnhead road, through Balquidder and onto Monachyle was rather frosty and in places icy due to the excess water lying on road from a week of heavy rain. The start of the walk was just west of the Monachyle Hotel where a vehicle track enters the forest. There is limited parking here and a locked gate blocks vehicle access with an Estate sign stating stalking in progress keep to the lower glen. In terms of the Land Reform Scotland Act 2003 this sign is no longer appropriate and not within the spirit of the Act. These types of signs need to be updated daily and in any case it was Sunday when stalking isn't permitted. Once on the track my annoyance at this inappropriate signage diminished as I enjoyed the walk through the forest on that chilly morning. The local farmer's dog was operating on its own rounding up a stray sheep. Further north the sun was able to penetrate the trees and I had to remove my hat and gloves as I warmed up. After around 3.5 kilometres I came across a hut, solar panel and small windmill. There was also a weir which I later learned was for measuring the velocity of suspended sediment and bedload samples. Beyond this I came to the end of the vehicle track although All Terrain Vehicle tracks continued up the Glen. A sign erected by the Forestry Commission Scotland indicated that I was entering a 'Sensitive Conservation Area'. Apparently the area is of archaeological interest but some damage had been caused by forestation. A walking route was signposted which prevented several crossings of the Monachyle Burn but the path was very wet and boggy in places. Beyond the evergreen trees I headed uphill through some trees that had been cut down several years ago which made the ascent a bit awkward until I got above the tree line although deep heather had still to be contended with. Well beyond the tree line I reached a deer fence but found an area of the fence that had been damaged and managed to climb through a gap. I spotted a vole as it tried to run away and hide. I was now out of the sun and it was lot colder so the hat and gloves were once again required and around the 470 metres point I reached the snow line. The snow was fairly dry and there was more than I expected. Higher up the drifts were knee deep with lots of knolls and undulations to traverse before reaching a fence. Well getting to the fence was a bit of an obstacle as the area to the west consisted of peat bog and small lochans concealed under the snow. However the bog and water weren't firm enough to take my weight and it took me several attempts to find a suitable crossing. Once across I climbed to the old fence posts and to the summit cairn of The Stob. Here I had some good views particularly to the east and south-east with Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin standing out. The view to the south was obscured by the low sun while there was a bit of cloud affecting the westerly and northerly hills. I had my lunch at the summit enjoying these views before heading south, initially following the line of fence posts. However even with the clear and sunny weather it was difficult working out the best line to follow with numerous knolls, undulations and some rocky outcrops. I came over Stob Caol and Creag nan Speireag before descending fairly steeply to the east of Monachyle Beag, over some fences and dykes, before joining the road along the side of Loch Voil which I had driven along that morning. The road was still icy and slippery but I followed it for the short distance back to the starting point.
Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’Chroin12 October 2006
This was the final day of the Ashwood House walking holiday and the plan was to climb the Munros Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’Chroin. Access to the starting point had improved recently with the re-building of a bridge on the South Loch Earn Road which had been washed away in a storm a couple of years ago. Once again only Steve was available to climb these mountains as Vanessa was still suffering from a knee injury sustained on the first day of the walking holiday. The starting point was the South Loch Earn Road at Ardvorlich where there were already several cars parked. We followed the signs which directed us away from Ardvorlich House and onto the Right of Way which eventually leads to Callander. Once below the north ridge we followed the path, listening to the stags roaring, to Ben Vorlich’s summit trig point which appears to be one metre higher than the cairn a few metres further east. It was a fine day for a change so we had some reasonable views. From the summit we descended to the Bealach an Dubh Choirein before ascending to the east side of Stuc a’Chroin and climbed up a gully onto the summit of Stuc a’Chroin. After a lunch stop we followed the north-west ridge to a small bealach before descending to just below Bealach an Dubh Choirein. From here we traversed round the north-west ridge of Ben Vorlich and rejoined the upward route before following it back to the start.
previous ascent of Ben Vorlich previous ascent of Stuc a'Chroin Ben Venue11 October 2006
This was the third day of the Ashwood Apartment Holiday package but unfortunately the weather forecast was for heavy rain during the day. The plan had been to tackle Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’Chroin but Steve suggested he would be happier with a shorter day so we decided to climb Ben Venue instead. We drove to Loch Achray Hotel on the A821 Callander to Aberfoyle Road and parked at the rear of the Hotel. However, it appears that a new marked route had been created from the car park further north on the A821 beside the bridge over the Achray Water. From the rear of the Hotel we followed a track thought the forest and up Gleann Riabhach. We left the track shown on the map and followed a path through the forest as the rain commenced. On reaching the edge of the forest the cloud base had lowered and the path was wet and boggy. On reaching the bealach we followed the path up the south west ridge of Ben Venue and eventually reached the summit. Apparently the highest point is west of the trig point and higher by a couple of metres, although the OS Map I was using just showed the trig point height. It was wet and windy on the summit with poor visibility so we headed over to the trig point and down the south-east ridge before turning north off the ridge. On this descent we heard the roar of a stag, which was close by, but despite making a search for the stag in poor visibility we could not locate it, despite hearing its continued roars. We continued on the descent which became rather awkward and steep through trees, some rocks and wet vegetation. This awkward descent could probably have been avoided if we had moved further west. The wet path on the south side of the Achray Water was eventually reached and we followed it into the forest and then tracks back to the start. Despite the waterproof gear we were both rather wet.
Ben Ledi9 October 2006
I have an arrangement with Ashwood Apartments in Callander to guide guests booking their hill walking package. On this occasion the guests were Steve and Vanessa and the plan for their first day’s walking was to climb Ben Ledi. We drove to the car park on the A84 Callander to Strathyre road just south of Loch Lubnaig. Access to the car park was via a narrow bridge to an area of rough ground on the west side of the Garbh Uisge. From the car park we followed a path, steeply in places, up through the forest onto the open hillside. It was a fairly mild morning for the month of October but once onto the south-east ridge of Ben Ledi we were exposed to a strong wind and later some spots of rain. On reaching the summit of Ben Ledi we had lunch before descending the north ridge. Cloud engulfed the ridge and it was very windy and a bit chilly compared to earlier in the day. Once at the bealach we descended into Stank Glen and followed it to the west shore of Loch Lubnaig and the path back to the start.
Sgiath a'Chaise3 September 2006
I was booked to go to Knoydart but due to the forecast of rain and strong winds the trip was cancelled at short notice so I had some time to spare in this area. Unfortunately it was very wet but the weather was expected to improve in the afternoon so I decided to take a stroll up this Graham after an early lunch. I set off from the A85 at Loch Lubnaig and climbed steeply up the Right of Way into Glen Ample. Once beyond the forest I headed up onto the south ridge of Sgiath a'Chaise where the showery rain became steady and heavier. The cloud base lowered to obscure my view. I followed old fence posts which led to the first knoll at 640 metres. However there was no spot height shown on my map which in fact showed two knolls both between 640 and 649 metres. There was no way to distinguish which was the highest point so I continued in a northerly direction, climbed over a deer fence, and reached the second knoll. Neither knoll had cairns but at least I was satisfied that I had been on the highest point of Sgiath a'Chaise. I had brief views of Balquidder but it was still wet so I returned to the start by the upward route with occasionally clear spells that allowed me views of Beinn Each and Stuc a'Chroin.
Beinn Dubhchraig & Ben Oss8 July 2006
It was raining heavily as I drove to the start of this walk on the A82 Crianlarich to Tyndrum road at Dalrigh, where there is a parking area for several vehicles. However it was dry when I parked my car and in this sheltered area the midges were waiting for walkers to arrive. I got ready as quickly as possible and soon left the midges behind and walked along the old A82 to the crossing of the River Finnan before I followed a track west and parallel to the railway line. This track subsequently crossed the railway at a bridge and then I left the track and took a wet and boggy path to the bridge over the Allt Gleann Auchreoch, which is not shown on the map. The bridge, which was a bit unstable with a few rotten planks, led to a forested area on the west side of the burn. There are various paths through the forest, some wet and boggy in places but they lead to a style over a deer fence. The style is useless as half of it is missing and holes in the fence have developed. A second style, which is in good condition, is then reached but with large gaps in the fence this style is by-passed. Finally before reaching the open hillside there is a third fence but it is down at the point where walkers cross. Once on the open hillside I took a walker's path, which again was wet and boggy in places, that followed a stream towards the north ridge of Beinn Dubhchraig where I encountered the first of several showers. It was windy and the cloud was low down on the hill side as I climbed to the two small lochans before heading up onto Beinn Dubhchraig. There was no view from this summit so I retraced my steps to the lochans before descending to the Oss/Dubhchraig bealach as the cloud began to break. I followed the path round the east side of Point 941 before climbing to the col to the south-west and onto the summit of Ben Oss. The cloud was clearing and I did have some views although they were a bit cloudy. From the summit of Ben Oss I returned to the col, climbed over Point 941 and headed back to the Oss/Dubhchraig bealach. To avoid the rock face I had to climb back to the small lochans before descending the north ridge of Beinn Dubhchraig and down to the forest. On walking through the forest I disturbed an adult snipe which was obviously upset so on looking down I saw a young snipe, near my feet, which I took a photograph of. Another young snipe waddled off with its wings open and while trying to photograph it, unsuccessfully, the other young snipe disappeared into the bracken. I was happy that I had spotted the young and that I had avoided standing on them. The rest of the descent was uneventful. For statistical details see here.
An Caisteal & Beinn a'Chroin16 May 2006
It was raining with low cloud when I met my client in Crianlarich and we drove the 3.5 miles south on the A82 to a car park near the River Falloch. By the time we arrived at this car parking area the rain had almost ceased. The first obstacle of the day was the crossing of a wet and boggy field to a vehicle track that went under the railway line. We followed this track for a short distance before heading up onto the north ridge of Sron Gharbh, crossing a barbed wire fence en-route. Once over Sron Gharbh we walked along the ridge, known as Twisting Hill, and ascended An Caisteal, which has a gully to cross before the ridge narrowed and the summit was reached. The cloud had been trying to break along Twisting Hill and over onto our next hill, Beinn a'Chroin. We descended the south ridge of An Caisteal as the cloud engulfed us again and on reaching the bealach we commenced a fairly steep ascent with some minor scrambles onto the west end of Beinn a'Chroin. Even on a clear day it is difficult to decide which is the highest point on the ridge but according to the map it is the third knoll, which is shown as 942 metres. We crossed all the knolls and headed over to the 940 metre point, which was in the cloud as was the rest of the ridge. After a short break we descended by the north ridge as the cloud started to break up again. Once off this ridge we crossed the River Falloch and followed it down Coire Earb. It was rather wet and boggy in places but improved once we reached the vehicle track further down the glen. The sun came out as we re-crossed the boggy field and headed for our cars. For statistical details see here.
Beinn nan Imirean7 May 2006
It was a wet morning when I set off from the A85 in Glen Dochart and headed towards Auchessan Farm. A sign at the road end welcomed hill walkers with a few requests including if you are caught short cover it with a stone as our dogs love to roll in it. I am aware of the procedures but it is the first time I have seen this on a notice board. The route goes round the back of the Old Farmhouse and followed a vehicle track then a path up the side of an un-named stream. The rain was a bit lighter now and for the rest of the walk was intermittent. The stream was followed until it entered the low cloud and I therefore had to navigate to the summit of Beinn nan Imirean. All I saw was a hare and a couple of grouse that I disturbed. There was no point in remaining at the summit as the cloud was unlikely to lift so I returned by the ascent route to the stream and thereafter the start. For statistical details see here.
Beinn a'Chroin10 April 2006
I needed to climb Beinn a'Chroin and on previous occasions I had done so from the A82 south of Crianlarich. On this occasion I decided to climb it from Inverlochlarig. It was a lovely sunny morning, albeit a bit cold, when I set off from the car park at Inverlochlarig and walked along the Right of Way beside the River Larig as far as Ishag Glen. Once over the stream and through a gate I headed up to the crags, traversed below them, climbed through some steep snow filled gullies to a knoll east of Beinna'Chroin. The whole area up here was covered snow, a lot of it wind swept. From the knoll I headed onto the east ridge of Beinn a'Chroin where the snow conditions were very unstable with lots of soft drifting snow on top of a hard packed base. However it had not bonded and there was a very high avalanche risk with some evidence of minor snow falls. It was difficult finding a route onto the summit as the rocks were concealed by the snow and I made several attempts before I discovered a save and suitable route. Once on the east summit I had to put on crampons as the surface was very icy. I headed across to the west top. Manuals and maps differ on which is the highest point on this ridge but according to my map a knoll in the middle of the summit ridge is the highest point at 942 metres. However I walked over all tops lest there be another change. From the west end of this ridge I descended south towards Carn Liath. The snow here was again very deep and there were lots of rocky outcrops to avoid but the snow filled gullies made for an easy descent into the corrie. A young chap passed me here. He had ascended the hill from the near the south corrie and had heard the noise of an avalanche. He had been happy to follow my descent as it meant he didn't have to study the route down through the rocks before descending the gullies. I crossed over the corrie, being careful at streams as they were full of soft snow, and headed to below the snow line. The return to the track and the walk back along the Right of Way was easy compared to climbing through the snow. For statistical details see here.
Ben Vorlich3 April 2006
The minor road along the south shore of Loch Earn is still closed near its west end as a result of a bridge being washed away over a year ago so to reach Ardvorlich, the normal starting point for Ben Vorlich it is necessary to approach from St Fillians to the east. It should also be noted that access from the south is also problematic as a bridge there was also washed away in the same storm. The first section of the walk up Glen Vorlich is on a track which is a Right of Way. Eventually I left the Glen and climbed a good path onto the north ridge of Ben Vorlich. Initially it was sunny but this was replaced by some cloud and a cold northerly wind. Higher up on the north ridge an axe and crampons were required for the final climb to the trig point. I also ventured along the ridge to the 984 point, which is one metre lower than the trig point, according to the map. After a few photographs I descended by the ascent route back to my car. For statistical details see here.
Ben Vorlich25 February 2006
I met my four lady clients at St Fillans and we drove to Ardvorlich on the south shore of Loch Earn. From here we walked passed Ardvorlich House and followed the Right of Way which leads to Callander. At the moment it isn't possible to follow this route all the way to Callander as at the south end a bridge has been washed away. Further up Glen Vorlich we took the path onto the north ridge of Ben Vorlich and reached the snow line around 750 metres. Here there was a cold wind blowing and as we gained height it became stronger. I spoke with a couple of blokes who were descending the ridge but they advised me that the strength of the wind had stopped them reaching the summit. I continued for another few metres but the snow conditions required ice axe and crampons and my clients didn't have either nor did they know how to use them so I decided to turn about and return to the start. They weren't unduly concerned about this decision and it was a cold windy walk back to the start. Stob a'Choin18 February 2006
It was a very cold, frosty and sunny morning as I set off from the car park near Inverlochlarig farm and walked west through the farm yard where a couple of ponies blocked the bridge crossing. Once beyond the farm I followed the track on the north side of the River Larig to the footbridge which I used to cross the river. As it was a sunny morning and I was approaching the hill from the north side I decided to climb the north- east ridge of Stob a'Choin, which is actually the north-east ridge of Meall Reamhar, but this summit is not named on the maps I use. It was a steady climb which took me onto the snow covered ridge and into the heat of the morning sun. Old fence posts marked the line of the ridge which was slightly undulating and the snow very variable. Early on it had a thin top crust that broke and slid away but later on the snow either collapsed under my weight or was solid so I was never sure what was going to happen. There were a couple of steep climbs until I reached a knoll at the south end of the ridge where I had some great views to the south. This was followed by a change of direction and a steep descent followed by a re-ascent to the summit of Meall Reamhar. I was now on an undulating and contorted ridge before a steep descent to the Bealach Coire an Laoigh where I spotted boot prints in the snow. The owner had come off Stob a'Choin and had headed down the gully to the River Larig, probably the previous day, as the prints were frozen. From the Bealach Coire an Laoigh I commenced the final climb to the summit of Stob a'Choin, which actually has two summits. I visited both as I couldn't tell which was higher but one reference states it is the south top. The walker from the previous day only went to the south top, but maybe the cloud conditions were such that he didn't see the north top. I had planned to continue to a Graham, further west but the ascent of this Corbett had taken me well over 3.5 hours due mainly to the underfoot conditions but I did stop frequently to take in the views. I therefore headed off down the north ridge of Stob a'Choin and met a couple on their way to the summit. Lower down I headed into the gully that took me to the stream, flowing out of Coire an Laoigh, which I crossed lower down before heading for the footbridge I used that morning and the track back to the start after a wonderful but tough day out. For statistical details see here.
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