Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean from Coire Ardrain

[Caleb Wright]

Bad weather had hampered an earlier attempt at these Crianlarich munros so we were determined to explore them even though it was a day of murk and clag. Like a lot of our southern highland expeditions this one was via public transport to Crianlarich. Having done the road walk on the A82 earlier in the year for An Caisteal and Beinn a' Chroin we decided to opt for a more experimental way! Studying the OS map and having seen a helpful You Tube on it we decided to attempt the route by travelling through Coire Ardrain. It would avoid the road and avoid forestry difficulties that I had read about in other reports.

From a forestry car park on the edge of the village we followed a good track into the woods. Though the weather was a typical late autumn grey the walk through the forest was nice. One thing I was aware of is that forestry tracks can shift from their OS map positions, but in this case the map was spot on. We gradually ascended on the tracks closest to the Allt Coire Ardrain until just before we reached a bridge over it. Here we turned off onto a boggy and rather vague ATV track which took us nicely into the rather boggy Coire. We seemed to be in between layers of cloud / clag with some below us in the glen and then the highest peaks hidden behind another layer. I had been wondering how bad the bog in the coire would be but it actually wasn't that horrendous (I know not exactly a glowing endorsement!).

We followed close to the burn and were glad we did as a deer fence needs to be crossed and the only straightforward way of doing so (I may be corrected on this) seemed to be by the burn. After the deer fence the going improved gradually. We aimed for a stand out massive rock, all I can say is if you do this route you will know it when you see it. From here we ascended rather more steeply onto the ridge in between Cruach Ardrain and Meall Dhamh. It was from here we entered into the clag but we also found the very well trodden good path that seemed to contour around the south west side of Cruach Ardrain before eventually coming to a junction. Here we turned left and made the short ascent to the summit. There was a lot of map checking to ensure we had the correct summit as there is a very small decent between a top and the actual summit. Despite no views it felt rewarding to have achieved this peak.

We reversed the route to the junction but now went straight on following what I assume in good visibility would have been a lovely wide ridge. Eventually and again after lots of map checking we reached the summit of Beinn Tulaichean. Unfortunately no views down to Loch Voil and with the short late autumn daylight we decided to head back. The way back was the same, partially re-ascending Cruach Ardrain, then following the path around the side of it. Once back in the Coire we decided to try a slightly different way to avoid the worst of the bog. We could see a forestry track not too far from where the deer fence crossed the burn and looking at the map although it wasn't on there we were confident it went where we wanted to be. We crossed the burn at the deer fence and went through a short section of not so nice forestry where the trees had been cut down and then reached the track, we followed this to a junction and turned left back to the bridge over the Allt Coire Ardrain. We then followed the track back into the village.

Overall I would say if you don't mind a bit of bog this is a good way to do the two munros. Had the weather been better I think the views of Coire Ardrain would have been great. It was also a strange walk in that we saw plenty of people between Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean but nobody at all in Coire Ardrain.

Misty track leaving Crianlarich

Between the layers of clag and into the coire

The way up to the ridge

Nearly on the ridge

On Cruach Ardrain

Between the two munros

On Beinn Tulaichean

Looking back to the ridge

Lonely Coire Ardrain

A final look back, still in the clag