Cruach Neuran & Sgorach Mor from Loch Tarsan east dam

[m3doc]

These 2 Cowal sub 2000s can be climbed from the same start point at Loch Tarsan east dam on B836 road, one in the morning and the other in afternoon.

For Cruach Neuran walk a short distance west to a forestry access track which almost immediately leave following clearance below Striven power lines and soon head up a bit overgrown fire break to join the better Egidoch Burn fire break up out the forest then follow an old fence coming in from the left all the way to summit trig 607m. Return by same.

For Sgorach Mor we made a mistake crossing the dam, passed the conduit and awkwardly up Allt Sgorach Beag stream. Much better to go 550m east along road past Glenlean Farm to a metal field gate, follow stream crossing field to reach a conduit where a good fire break can be accessed to reach a forestry track (this was our descent route), turn left and in 500m a grassy track on right heads up NW but when it turns back east it becomes very eroded and peaty. Leaving the track a little forest bashing N exits the forest near an old fence line is followed ENE over Sgorach Beag towards Sgorach Mor's craggy summit 601m readily attained by skirting round left to easier grassy slopes on it's N side. Return by same.

PS 16 Dec 2022 natubat reports impassable windblown treefall in Egidoch Burn firebreak probably Storm Arwin 28 Nov 2021 and 3 subsequent storms.

[iangpark]

Cruach Neuran is a particularly nice hill - might give it a go at some point - but Corradie and Cruach nam Miseag (which you've both done reports for) are first and second on the list. Did my report on Sgorach Mor a couple of weeks ago and I was blown away by the views I got. I think your way up was much more appropriate.

[prog99]

Update from today. The better way for Cruach Neuran is to pick up the forest break at NS 0807 8360. This is literally just to the left of a very tempting looking bigger break where the small pylons run.
Clear path up it all the way to within sight of the fence. You pop out at NS 0824 8272 next to a couple of boulders.
Also described in the addendum to the new smc grahams book.

[m3doc]

Hi prog99 OS mapping doesn't have a firebreak between your two grid references. Is there one not mapped?

[prog99]

Hi prog99 OS mapping doesn't have a firebreak between your two grid references. Is there one not mapped?

Nope, it's too narrow to appear on the mapping. I thinks it's because the burn bisects the plantation.

https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=8c411c8a-8830-4bef-8955-70d39e4afe59&cp=56.004867~-5.083161&lvl=16.221289&style=a&pi=0&v=2&sV=2&form=S00027

[Toadie17]

13th June 2023 6.75 hrs hot, sunny, breezy. Ascended via Epidoch burn which needed GPS to find because of all the windblown trees obscuring it. When clambering over 2 of the fallen trees I felt it would be easy to injure myself & I was on my own.....On the descent it was easier to find a way around them. For Sgorach Mor the firebreak above the conduit looked to be choked with bracken so I walked down the road to where the forest road starts.

[SunnyAdventure]

Update from today. The better way for Cruach Neuran is to pick up the forest break at NS 0807 8360. This is literally just to the left of a very tempting looking bigger break where the small pylons run.
Clear path up it all the way to within sight of the fence. You pop out at NS 0824 8272 next to a couple of boulders.
Also described in the addendum to the new smc grahams book.

Thanks for the update, Do you have GPX file for your route? Thanks

[SunnyAdventure]

Great report m3doc and very thoughtful of update follen trees after Natalie’s report, thank you. This coming weekend I’m About to find out if the conduit firebreak likely to be chocked by overgrowth brackens. Will update after.