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We started from the car park at the end of the Balquidder road at Inverlochlarig - my forebear Rob Roy MacGregor's home in later life. The cloud was sitting low on the mountain tops as we set off to follow the Walk Highlands route up these two Munros. I was hopeful it would lift by mid-morning, meaning we'd get the views by the time we were up there.
Unfortunately the cloud remained stubbornly where it was, and we saw nothing from the summit of Beinn Tulaichean. Onwards to Cruach Àrdrain and it seemed we would have no better luck. But as we approached the top, the cloud finally lifted to the west and north, though Ben More to the north-east was still hidden. We stopped for lunch a little way from the cairn and enjoyed the view over Crianlarich and beyond - one of my very favourite views.
We descended to the bealach between the two Munros and headed east down to the Inverlochlarig Burn, the Ben More pyramid now mostly visible. We deviated from the WH route slightly, arriving at the burn just beyond the end of the track that would take us down the glen. There's a pool here formed by the burn running through an area of large rocks. We stopped for a rest here and I took the opportunity to strip my boots and socks off, roll my trousers up and dangle my legs in the pool, while enjoying the view down the glen. Bliss - I'll take that over a bubble bath any day
After that we followed the track all the way down the glen, back through Inverlochlarig and along to the car park at the road.
- On the high road to Crianlarich
- Time to start the ascent of Beinn Tulaichean
- Albino slug - not something you see every day
- View of Loch Doine, Loch Voil and Inverlochlarig from the cloud line
- No, we don't have to go that way
- Rock and fog, near the summit of Beinn Tulaichean
- Puddle at the edge of the world
- Approaching Cruach Àrdrain summit cairn
- The cloud lifts, allowing a stunning view over Crianlarich
- Stob Garbh
- Ben More finally visible through the cloud on the way down
- View across to the mighty wall forming the western side of the ridge that continues south from Stob Binnein
- Looking back towards Inverlochlarig
- Looking north to the bealach between Stob Binnein and Stob Garbh
- Bliss found resting at a pool of Inverlochlarig Burn, looking south to Stob Breac
- Joining the Inverlochlarig track at its very end
- Following the Inverlochlarig Burn down
- Stob Breac
- Stob A' Choin
- Stob Breac from Inverlochlarig
- Ceann Na Baintighearna
