Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin from Ardvorlich

[shuggley]

I'm jinxed with these 2 hills. The first time I tried a couple of years ago I got caught in a snow blizzard near the top of Ben Vorlich and only made it to the top after I met another couple of guys coming up. I would not have attempted it on my own in these conditions. The Stuc was out for that trip. I tried again with a pal about 6 weeks ago and nearly got blown off Ben Vorlich again. We made it to the top literally on our hands and knees, so went back over Ben Our and missed Stuc a Chroin again. I don't think I'm ever going to get up the Stuc by the traditional route, so next time I'll make the trip from the Callander end via Arivurichardich.

[Paul Webster]

I should warn you before your jinx strikes again! The bridge just short of Arivurichardich was washed away a few years back. I attempted this route and was unable to cross the river and had to abandon it, though it must depend on the amount of rain.

[goth_angel]

You are not the only one jinxed on these. I have turned back on Ben Vorlich twice and haven't managed to get to the summit yet. First time was heavy rain and I wasn't in the right zone (to be totally honest I was hung over but the rain was the main factor) . Second time was a combination of heavy rain, high winds and 10 metre visibility - turned back with about 500 yards to go to the summit. Frustrating but better to be on the safe side than take risks.

Next time I have a go at this one I will make sure it is a nice sunny summer day!

[shuggley]

The most annoying thing about my last attempt was that I got a tantalising glimpse of the scrambling up the east face of Stuc a Chroin, so I could see exactly what I was going to miss. Has anyone here done that?

[Rekrab]

I planned a nice weekend with the wife a wee while back we took the bikes up to fort william and we cycled part of the great glen way then on the drive back down we planned on baggin these two. we walked up vorlich which i consider the easiest munro ever and not even worth the drive (seemed like we were up the top in 30 mins) we passed maybe 20 people that day and they all stated that we should turn around because of the wind. we got to the snow line and the wind was ferocious but we bashed on and summited we...... err I wanted to continue but the wife's knee was hurtin and she wanted down, I could see the scramble up to the ridge of stuc a chrion and it had a massive cornice of snow on it and I could see tracks of people who had already climbed it and I could taste it. Vorlich was so easy It hadn't even wetted my appetite but the wife won the argument and we went down with me in a cream puff.

we normally do a munro or two on new years day so i've said to her we've got to go back and do stuc a chroin.
has anyone done the monster walk from callander to these bad boys? the glen cronnish trek has been refered to as a Monster also (which i've done) how does it compare?

MacKenzie

[Alan S]

it seems in not the only one not to make ben vorlich on the first attempt i tried in early february but was beaten by heavy snow i turned back only 100ft from the summit (i was gutted when i seen how close i was on the next trip)
it was no bother a few weeks later but i couldnt see stuc a chroin in the heavy mist.
i would recommend doing stuc from loch lubnaig then from glen ample bagging a corbett on the way beinn each i found this quite easy on a summers day and never met anyone up or down only at the top

[squirrel]

well, I managed both on one of the few decent days this summer, clear and dry all day (actually a little too warm for my liking). Ben Vorlich, as has been commented, is a fairly easy hill (it was a bit like a motorway going up, it was saturday and everyone and their dog was up there). Stuc a chroin was more interesting, the scramble up is a fairly easy one in good weather, i only had to use hands a few times, thought it would be a lot more tricky in the wet or in winter though. Getting to the bottom of the scramble requires picking your way for a short distance through the boulder field. Returned over Ben Our, cutting down through deep bracken to the path again.

[goth_angel]

it seems in not the only one not to make ben vorlich on the first attempt i tried in early february but was beaten by heavy snow i turned back only 100ft from the summit (i was gutted when i seen how close i was on the next trip)

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one, you were even closer than me, I think we were less than 500m away when we turned round but could see b*gger all. I think we will now leave this one for the summer and a good day (if we get any next year ) and tack on Stuc as well.

[Rekrab]

i'll be making me second attempt on stuc a chroin this friday bbc weather says it's 2 degrees 13 MPH winds from the south, poor vivbility and heavy rain. should be fun!!!!!

MacKenzie,

[goth_angel]

i'll be making me second attempt on stuc a chroin this friday bbc weather says it's 2 degrees 13 MPH winds from the south, poor vivbility and heavy rain. should be fun!!!!!

MacKenzie,

Good luck!

[Rekrab]

well we're back.
only bagged the Ghram Ben our. our intention was to use ben our. then slide down her slopes and then cross the burn i forget the name now and accend the easy slopes of the western side of stuc a chroin. we missed he start of the route not payin attention so we just went off route and satrted to climb the eastern faceof ben our once we realized our mistake views were pretty good and then about 600m the clouds took us away and the snow came in and we we're in a beautifull white out. lots of batteries in the GPS so we decided not to coninue to stuc and to decend our original accent route.

we had a laugh and the wind was very strong stinging us with snow but we built a snowman on he sumit and watched as the dog attacked it, then slid down some of the steeper hard packed snow bits on our buts and or bellies. using the GPS we walked the ridge and easily found the road back down and back to the car park at loch earn.
it was very nice and it reminded me of my childhood in Canada, the wife was annyed wih the wind sinin but i didn't mind it it was nice bein in those conditions if i were on my own and had some ski goggles i would have contunied.

MacKenzie.

[HILLFITTER]

Walked up Stuc a;Chroin from Ben Vorlich 2 years ago with the lads half way up mist came down a wee bit bit nothing dramatic,then the stags started howling , bloody hell could not see them ,they sounded like they were charging for us ,gulp. but when mist lifted they were far away .The things that go thru your mind when you hear and cant see these things ha ha.