Cruach Ardrain, Beinn Tulaichean

[seamus0]

I started this on the A82 carpark just outside Crianlarich (369239) on a sunny cloudless day.
I was hoping to do 4 munros today if the weather stayed like this.

Rather than going over the stile at the carpark, its best to go through the fence and follow the track which leads to a tunnel under the railway line.

Fence at start

Tunnel under railway tracks

Going over the stile is a bog fest I learned from previous trips! the track leads over a wooden bridge and follows the River Falloch, climbing slowly.

Bridge over the river

Track following the river

After 1/2 hr you should see a small pile of stones on your left marking a track that leads down to the river and a handy footbridge.

Footbridge over the river

Cross over the bridge and follow the edge of the forest. There isn't much of a path and its quite boggy. I used the fence in several places to stop me sinking into bog.

Route up to ridge

After another 1/2 hr of climbing you should be at the start of the ridge to Grey Height. A stile here leads down to Crianlarich which was the alternative starting option through the forest. By this stage good views of Crianlarich can be seen. A good track led up to the top of Grey Height which was reached 1.5 hrs from my start.

Track up to Grey Height

Top of Grey Height

Views of Crianlarich from Grey Height

The undulating track continues up the ridge. There is one bit to be wary of in bad weather, where a small pile of stones marks a sharp drop of a crag which lay in the tracks way. The track continued to the right of this crag and started to get steeper. Eventually you reach a pile of stones marking a t-junction at the top. Going right takes you down the ridge to Beinn Tulaichean, going left takes you to the top of Cruach Ardrain. The top of Cruach Ardrain was reached about 3 hrs from the start.

Ridge up to Cruach Ardrain from Grey height

Cruach Ardrain

Looking back on the ridge up

walking to Top of Cruach Ardrain

Track to Cruach Ardrain

the Top

After taking some photos, the route to Beinn Tulaichean looked remarkably easy essentially retracing my steps back to the junction and following the good path down along a broad ridge. The top of this was reached roughly 1hr later.

Top of Cruach Ardrain

Ridge to Beinn Tulaichean

Looking back to top of Cruach Ardrain from ridge

Top of Beinn Tulaichean

Cruach Ardrain from Beinn Tulaichean

The Top

By this stage, the weather was turning for the worse. My hopes of doing Beinn a Chroin and An Caisteal were looking less likely as it tipped it down. It really depended on how good the route across was. I retraced my steps down Beinn Tulaichean and headed NW contouring round the side of Cruach Ardrain heading for a gap north of Stob Glas. I was expecting some sort of path for this route, as I would have thought this would have been a popular descent route back to the start, but I didn't see any, so it was a bit slippy in places in the teaming rain. I then headed W heading down the slopes of Cruach Ardrain towards the Falloch. There was some nice waterfalls on the way down.

Waterfall coming off Stob Glas

Descent down Stob Glas

This route took longer than expected. The intention was to climb the ridge up Beinn a Chroin, but time was ticking on and the weather wasn't improving so decided to follow the river back to the start instead.

Route back

This route was exceptionally boggy, and not that pleasant. there was some tyre tracks but went through bog so didn't really help that much. Eventually you reach the track you started on.

Track back to start

When the weather started improving and the rain stopped I was sort of wishing I had taken the high route....I eventually finished back at the start about 8hrs from when I started with sodden wet feet....time for new boots I think!

[kev_russ]

Great report and pics I fancy these 2 from Crianlarich. Might take the tent and break it up abit. Cheers!

[Malckyb]

Good report and pics. Its a nice walk this one but the bog trot at the end just spoils it a bit!...it was really bad when we did it and you are so glad to reach the landrover track!

[seamus0]

you are soo right! I was cursing every bog I sinked into! When I eventually reached the track I was thinking I'll never do this route by river Falloch again. It would have seemed easier to climb the other 2 munros!

Re camping, it is pretty wet, so not sure where you would get a good site.

[simon-b]

Nice pictures, seamus. No need to worry about the two hills you missed, you can come back and do them on a better day. I did Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean last year from Inverlochlarig in much worse conditions than you had, and two hills was enough for me that day. At least you got the views that I missed, and it looks like you had a good day overall.

[DrPaul]

Excellent report Seamus and very helpful photos. On Wed 17/8/2016 I climbed An Casteal and Beinn a' Chroin in glorious sunshine and shorts, views were fantastic of Beinn Tulaichean and Cruach Ardrain, but after descending along the boggy path alongside the River Falloch back to the track vowed that when i tackled this pair next, I would go along the top and down Grey Hill to the forest and bridge avoiding hopefully as much bog as possible. You have encouraged me to do these two at the next available opportunity preferably in dry weather, as three weeks previously I climbed Beinn Chabair and it was in terrible rain and cloud I could see nothing at the top and wading through bog for several hours was no fun.