by pinkmongoose » Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:52 pm
Munros included on this walk: Ben Challum
Date walked: 30/07/2011
Time taken: 5 hours
Ascent: 850m
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Ben Challum is a hill that seems to have a reputation for being a little moist, so I thought that today might be the day for it, it having been dry recently.
Bus to Crianlarich. Given I was walking along the roadside (the verge is fine, but watch the traffic around the Glasgow t-junction), I decided a start before the standard Kirkton Farm was in order. Inverhaggernie farm is much nearer to Crianlarich, and one of the few crossing points on the railways and river. Inverhaggernie was easy to navigate. From the road, cross the railway and the river. At the farm, follow the obvious bridge left and the track leads alongside a pleasant stream under the (second) railway bridge. All very obvious.
I followed the well made track until shortly after it starts to peel away from Inverhaggernie Burn, after about 300m. At this point, a quad track heads N, which I followed, and fizzles out. From here, I headed more or less in a direct straight line towards the summit. This I imagine would be very soggy in wet conditions, but today was very pleasant, soft and bouncy. There was no path, and none needed. A fence after about 300m is a minor obstruction for those short of leg but wasn't electric.
I kept to crests where possible to avoid any wetter ground. At Creag Loisgte, I headed around the eastern side of the little col between the summit ridge and the small ridge around 680m, again, to avoid any wet. At this point, you encounter a line of fence posts (mind the flailing wire) which has a surprisingly good path all the way to the summit.
At the 998m peak, a path leads NW from the cairn across an easy gully to a small ridgelet. It is this ridge which leads down to the col and up to the 1025m peak. The ridge looks momentarily as if it might be scrambly and exposed, but isn't.
I returned by the same route (such as you can tell in the pathless heath).
Good views from the top of Glen Lochay, and in general, some nice opportunities for broadside Crianlarich Hills shots.
Not the most exciting Munro, but doesn't seem worthy of the low score it seems to get. One for better weather, probably.