Gorgeous weather over the Easter weekend
helped Jennifer & Matt achieve their goal of 7 Munros in 4 days from our Killin base. There was still a fair bit of snow about,
generally high up on N and E aspects, but the crust was soft enough not to
cause problems. We did carry crampons on
a couple of the days though.
Beinn a’ Chroin & An Caisteal
An Caisteal
These 2 hills form the
central pairing of a group of 5 Munros that constitute the Crianlarich hills. Having climbed all 5 in one go on previous
visits, it was a refreshing change to adopt a more normal approach and climb
just 2 of them in a single day.
We started from near Keilator
on the A82 just S of Crianlarich. The
180m high start was very welcome on a sunny, cloudless morning as we followed
the infant River Falloch up Coire Earb on a good track. Alas the track soon runs out and the going
becomes quite boggy thereafter. A
confluence of burns below the obvious nose of Stob Glas Bheag directly ahead
provides a scenic stopping point for refreshment. We took full advantage of the setting! Then it was the first climb of the trip, up
the aforementioned Stob that guards the N ridge of Beinn a’ Chroin and up on to
the summit ridge of this fine wee hill.
Beinn a' Chroin
The mountain has 3 summits
the highest of which is now belatedly recognised as the central one. For many years, the E cairn had been the
official Munro but that has now been corrected.
As always in these situations, it is wise to traverse all likely
candidates in the event of a subsequent re-survey. Thus we took in all 3 cairns and claimed our
first Munro of the trip: Beinn a’ Chroin (942m;
hill of the sheep fold).
The traverse of all 3 tops
is no chore as the summit ridge of the mountain is a pleasantly undulating
collection of humps and dips with no great change in elevation. Things change at the W end however, as steep
craggy slopes drop abruptly to the Bealach Buidhe. The path is clear though and careful
negotiation is all that’s required to attain the relative sanctuary of the
bealach. I saw an osprey fly by the last
time I was here!
From here, the climb up to
the next Munro does go on a bit (particularly in cloud) and it’s a good
half-hour before the slope finally flattens out and you arrive at the summit
cairn of An Caisteal (995m; the castle).
After pausing to admire
views from Glasgow to Ben Nevis and beyond, we headed down, traversing the
appropriately – and delightfully – named Twistin Hill as it snakes its way N
from the summit. From the last rise on
the ridge, Sròn Gharbh (709m), it’s downhill all the way but with no paths to
assist, we made a beeline for the track bedside the River Falloch which led us
back to the car.
Creag Mhor & Beinn Heasgarnich
Creag Mhor From Glen Lochay
These 2 relatively high
and remote Munros sit rather inconveniently far up Glen Lochay and it’s a fair
hike to capture them both. Leaving the
car at the new bespoke car park one kilometre short of Kenknock Farm, we
traipsed off up the glen for some 6Km on the convenient farm track. The shapely pyramid of Ben Challum, growing
ever closer directly ahead, greatly enhances the scene. Soon after Batavaime, the track splits and we
took the right-hand fork that leads smartly up to intercept the hydro track
that contours along the N-side of the glen.
Crossing this, we negotiated
a new deer fence (some good work from the Forestry Commission here, planting up
swathes of natural woodland) and headed towards the steep crags of Sròn nan Eun. We aimed for the obvious swing gate - there
is no path at first - and headed to the right where easier slopes afford access
to the ridge-line. Once up, the path finally
appears and we followed this all the way to the summit cairn of Creag Mhor (1047m; big crag).
The safest way off this
mountain is not straight over and down the very steep NE corrie, but to head W
initially and follow the corrie rim around until gentler slopes can be
traversed to the peaty 650m bealach before the next climb. From Creag Mhor, the unrelenting slopes of
Sròn Tairbh look as intimidating as they are unwelcome. In reality, this crux of the whole day
passes a little easier than you expect it to (honest…) and we were on the ridge
in just over 30mins.
Creag Mhor
From here, almost
level ground took us along the open ridge, contouring around the NW slopes of Stob
an Fhir-Bhogha before turning N to reach the elusive cairn of Beinn Heasgarnich
(1078m; peaceful hill). This huge mountain, the highest of the Glen
Lochay hills, is never easy and it’s a long way to anywhere from here!
Beinn Heasgarnich From Creag Mhor
We retreated SE,
descending over numerous large snowfields until the hydro track came into view
far below. The best line is to aim
directly for where the Allt Bad Odhar intercepts the track; this at least
minimises the distance you have to travel.
The track is then followed at about the 375m contour, through several
gates and over the conspicuous hydro pipeline, before descending down to the
floor of the glen on the private road and back to the waiting car. Those planning to complete this demanding day
can expect to feel somewhat weary by the time you get there.
Stuc an Lochain & Meall Buidhe
Stuc an Lochain
For Day 3 we drove over to
the head of Glen Lyon and parked at the Loch an Daimh dam. Despite a cool breeze, it was still
wonderfully blue and sunny! I’ve
generally done these hills the other way around, but today we agreed that the
steepest hill should go first. And so it was that we
followed the road below the dam and along the loch for ½Km to where a small
cairn marks the start of a steep path up into Coire Bàn. It’s a bit brutal first thing in the morning,
but you are starting from 410m so stop your whining and man up! Before long, the slope relents and you are on
the short E ridge of Creag an Fheadain (887m)
which you follow to the cairn. There are
fence posts to help guide your way – as so often in this part of the world!
They certainly help with
the sharp left turn at the cairn from where the morning’s Munro springs into
view. It’s a comfortable 2Km stroll
around the wide corrie rim to the summit with Lochan nan Cat nestling below the
summit cliffs to your right. Today, the
few remaining snow patches posed no difficulty and progress was swift. The final climb to the top is straightforward
and a clear path leads all the way to the cairn: Stuc an Lochain (960m; peak of the small loch).
We returned the way we had
come but avoided the car park before stopping for lunch at the foot of our 2nd
hill of the day. The light and colour
looking over the loch and up the glen were spectacular and we didn’t rush
lunch. The start of the path was again
marked by a small cairn at which point we left the track. The route is boggy in places and a little
indistinct. You need to aim for a dip on
the horizon immediately to the W of Meall a’ Phuill. The skyline marks the corrie rim of Glas
Choire which you follow up and over Spot Height 917m and then along a fairly
level wide ridge for one final kilometre to the summit cairn of Meall Buidhe (932m; yellow hill).
This remote Munro affords
excellent views in clear weather and so it was today we were able to pick out
the distant Cairngorms, Beinn a’ Ghlo and the distinctive hump of Ben Nevis
across Rannoch Moor. We returned the
same way feeling rightly smug - if a little exhausted - with our haul of 6
Munros in 3 days!
Meall nan Tarmachan
Meall nan Tarmachan From Killin
Prior to driving home,
Jenn & Matt were quite keen to capture one more Munro. It had to be short and sweet and in these
parts there is but one obvious candidate: Meall nan Tarmachan. We were away from the car at a little after
9AM and the combination of high start (460m) and short route resulted in a
rapid and successful ascent. Even the
pesky snowfields guarding the summit couldn’t deny us Meall nan Tarmachan (1044m; hill of the ptarmigan).
We were back at the car in
under 3hrs and mightily relieved to be so.
After all, we had done quite enough Munro bagging for one Easter!
Check out my plans for this coming year at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/uk/
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