walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain


Postby markthespark » Sat Dec 01, 2012 3:03 pm

Route description: Cruach Àrdrain and Beinn Tulaichean

Munros included on this walk: Beinn Tulaichean, Cruach Àrdrain

Date walked: 30/11/2012

Time taken: 6.5 hours

Distance: 12.5 km

Ascent: 1025m

2 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Away from Linlithgow by 6.30 to beat the traffic and was in the car park at Inverlochlarig by 8.
Booted and suited and away by 8.30, in what can only be described as a sunny morning, but " frosty enough to snap a dog off a lamp-post" I headed down the track towards the farm, across the bridge and up the track into Inverlochlarig Glen.
Before reaching the second gate, I spurred left and started to climb up Beinn Tulaichean, which would be a bog-fest in normal conditions, but with the hard frost, it made for easier foot steps on the slope. :) :)
Upwards and onwards, over the top fence and into the snow line and eventually reached the shoulder plateau

Beinn Tulaichean From Shoulder Plateau.JPG
Beinn Tulaichean From Shoulder Plateau


Had some of the clearest views I've been lucky to have :D :D :D

Loch Voil & Loch Doine.JPG
Loch Voil & Loch Doine


Stob Binnein & Ben More.JPG
Stob Binnein & Ben More


Ben Vorlich & Stuc a Chroin.JPG
Ben Vorlich & Stuc a Chroin


Picked my way up to the Beinn Tulaichean summit plateau ( luckily following a previous walkers foot falls) and made my way across to the cairn. It was cold, but not a breathe of wind at that time. Quick cuppa coffee and a few pickys.

Ben More & Stob Binnein.JPG
Stob Binnein & Ben More Again


Beinn Tulaichean Cairn.JPG
Beinn Tulaichean Cairn


Then down into the bealach and onwards to Cruach Ardrain. Noticed a few sets of crampon spikes, but the snow was soft and still had plenty of grip, so kept mine in the bergen.... :roll: :roll:
Made it up to the top to be greeted with more fantastic views as far as the eye could see.....the view was so clear, it was like you could reach out and touch whichever peak you wanted :D :D

An Caisteal.JPG
An Caisteal from Cruach Ardrain


Cruach Ardrain Cairn.JPG
Cruach Ardrain Cairn


Ben More & Stob Binnein From Cruach Ardrain.JPG
Ben More & Stob Binnein From Cruach Ardrain Cairn


Even looking down the glen towards Crainlarich and beyond

Crainlarich.JPG
Crainlarich & Tyndrum


Soaked in the scenery for another 20 minutes and then headed back down via the bealach between the 2 peaks. Great joy yomping down through the snow :lol: :lol: :lol: but then back to reality once below the snow line :( :(
The ground was still firm under foot cos of the frosty conditions ( probably a squelcher normally) and eventually back onto the farm track leading back down Inverlochlarig Glen to the farm and then back to the car.
Timed it well :) :) , as on the drive out of the glen, the heavens opened and that would have been a poor ending to another magic day in the hills.

Ciao for now

Sparky.
markthespark
Walker
 
Posts: 41
Munros:17   
Joined: May 13, 2012
Location: Linlithgow

Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby Bod » Sat Dec 01, 2012 3:47 pm

Nice one, what a cracker of a day too! Love these two when we were up last year in mixed conditions. Took the reverse route to yours. Fine either way :)
(great to meet up last friday night ...)
User avatar
Bod
Walker
 
Posts: 1548
Munros:282   Corbetts:67
Fionas:34   Donalds:21
Sub 2000:44   Hewitts:27
Wainwrights:51   Islands:25
Joined: Jul 30, 2010
Location: Cowdenbeath

Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby heatheronthehills » Sat Dec 01, 2012 5:04 pm

Wow, looks like you had a fantastic day. Makes all the difference when the boggy bits are frosted up and when there is no wind on the summits, just perfect :D Lovely photos.
User avatar
heatheronthehills
Walker
 
Posts: 166
Munros:208   Corbetts:88
Fionas:68   Donalds:4
Sub 2000:80   Hewitts:5
Wainwrights:2   
Joined: Mar 5, 2012

Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby skuk007 » Sat Dec 01, 2012 7:03 pm

Looks like you had a great day Mark. Looks pretty nippy even though you said there was no wind as such.
I like the pics of Ben More and Stob Binnein with the winter coats one.

Did you do this on your own?
User avatar
skuk007
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1419
Munros:44   
Hewitts:8
Wainwrights:16   
Joined: Aug 24, 2009
Location: Bristol

Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby markthespark » Sat Dec 01, 2012 7:23 pm

skuk007 wrote:Looks like you had a great day Mark. Looks pretty nippy even though you said there was no wind as such.
I like the pics of Ben More and Stob Binnein with the winter coats one.

Did you do this on your own?


Started the Beinn Tulaichean section on my own, but noted a couple behind me as I climbed the final ridge to the summit plateau, so as I had a brew at the cairn, they caught up,( hence the picky) and then they headed away in front of me to Cruach Ardrain.
markthespark
Walker
 
Posts: 41
Munros:17   
Joined: May 13, 2012
Location: Linlithgow

Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby markthespark » Sat Dec 01, 2012 7:26 pm

heatheronthehills wrote:Wow, looks like you had a fantastic day. Makes all the difference when the boggy bits are frosted up and when there is no wind on the summits, just perfect :D Lovely photos.


Thanks for that, I've been really lucky with the weather I've had on the hills, but when I'm at home, I can generally pick a day with a good forecast before I decide to head out :) :)
markthespark
Walker
 
Posts: 41
Munros:17   
Joined: May 13, 2012
Location: Linlithgow

Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby rockhopper » Sat Dec 01, 2012 7:28 pm

views look great, mark, :thumbup: and certainly an excellent way to avoid the bogs - cheers :)
User avatar
rockhopper
 
Posts: 7445
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:136   Donalds:89+20
Sub 2000:16   Hewitts:2
Wainwrights:3   Islands:20
Joined: May 31, 2009
Location: Glasgow

Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby markthespark » Sat Dec 01, 2012 7:31 pm

Bod wrote:Nice one, what a cracker of a day too! Love these two when we were up last year in mixed conditions. Took the reverse route to yours. Fine either way :)
(great to meet up last friday night ...)


Probably the best pair of hills that I've tackled so far :D :D conditions were spot on, overhead and underfoot.
Aye, was good to meet up last week......was gutted that I never got a chance to walk on the Saturday ( self inflicted condition...lol.) or party-on in the Clachaig at night :crazy: :crazy: maybe next time :lol: :lol:
markthespark
Walker
 
Posts: 41
Munros:17   
Joined: May 13, 2012
Location: Linlithgow

Re: Beinn Tulaichean & Cruach Ardrain

Postby Malckyb » Sun Dec 02, 2012 2:35 pm

Its a great walk....looks fab in the snow too. :)
User avatar
Malckyb
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 125
Munros:87   Corbetts:6
Fionas:6   Donalds:8
Sub 2000:11   Hewitts:12
Wainwrights:19   
Joined: Jan 16, 2011
Location: Livingston

2 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: HugeRadish, rmse047071 and 71 guests