Ben Challum - a better way?!

[IainMacG]

Guide book routes are normally good - they are tried and tested and follow the wisdom of many experienced mountaineers over many years...
...but very occasionally you look at a map and the description and it just doesn't look right. The standard head-on approach to Ben Challum is one of those. A straight up and back route on what every description acknowledges is a boring and boggy route. So why do it???

Instead we started at Auchtertyre Farm (SAC research station) and headed up the track up Gleann a' Chlachain - keeping L of the river. This climbs nicely up the glen through some terrain that has been wonderfully fenced from the sheep and deer pest and is regenerating nicely.

Looking back down the approach glen - with the track behind

At the end of the track a wee climb gains the bealach just below 600m below the good looking NW ridge of Ben Challum. A nice looking ascent and far, far preferable to the usual route (but which makes a perfectly good descent route).

NW ridge of Ben Challum

The ascent ends pretty much on the summit of Ben Challum leaving the wonderful summit ridge as a descent towards the lesser top.
Further on, trend R towards the rail viaduct and you can again pass under it - this time on the SE side of the river (L as you are looking down the glen).

Descending towards the rail viaduct - over 100 years old!

Just after you have passed underneath there is a stile and a lovely wee walk down through the woods next to the river to finish through the farm and a bridge back to the NW side of the river and back to the car.


The route:

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[TRG318]

You can remove the question mark from your title: this is without doubt a better way of tackling Ben Challum. I did it today and had a great circular hillwalk, returning to the walkers' car park at Auchtertyre Farm with dry feet and clean boots. Many thanks!

[IainMacG]

Do you know, that’s made my day!
Thanks for taking the effort to post - making me glad I made the effort to write my route report!
slàinte / cheers

[gaffr]

The road end in Glen Lochay is also an interesting side from which to reach both Challum and Creag Mhor. When I am out with folks to visit a hill on a return effort I often choose an approach from another side. For Challum from Strath Fillan it was more recently well within the last decade.

[NeepNeep]

I agree. I'd left this hill on the night of my ML assessment. The assessor at the time said if anyone wanted to go and bag it in the evening go ahead....I couldn't be bothered.

Last year I spotted inversion weather on the cards and made a plan for Ben Challum - I wanted a slightly longer day so added the two Corbetts to the N and NW - Beinn Charorach and Cam Chreag. This was a fine mountain day and I didn't see anyone until the final parts of the descent. Cracking route up the hill. Thanks for posting.

[echappers1]

Thinking of trying Ben Challum again after having to abort on a previous attempt. Could do without re-treading the boggy woe slopes of the main route though so this alternative looks good.

Can I just ask where you parked though? Did you nab a cheeky space near the wigwams or just use the layby on the A82 and walk to your start point at Auchtertyre?

[IainMacG]

echapper1 - see my original report and map but yes, just park at SAC Auchertyre (which I think is also the wigwams place?).
IIRC there’s a wee car park just after you turn off - basically for walkers.

[jmarkb]

Yes, take the turning with the sign for the wigwams and there is ample parking just before the bridge at Auchtertyre (NN353290). It is indeed a very worthwhile alternative to the normal route. There is a steep rocky section about a third of the way up the NW ridge - the slabs on the right hand side of this are a nice wee scramble on clean rock, but you can bypass this easily on the left.

[IainMacG]

Nice one - thanks for confirming “jmarkb” 👍

[KatTai]

Saving this route for the future! Sounds like a great alternative

[Nelsonzon]

Me and my friends used your gpx today, and I can only thank you very much for posting your walk all those years ago, this is absolutely a better way to climb this hill!👍

[IainMacG]

@Nelsonzon thanks so much for taking the time to reply! Much appreciated.
Almost ten years ago now that I posted that!
How were the regenerating trees coming on in approach glen???!

cheers

[Nelsonzon]

Sorry but never really noticed, as the weather was so good yesterday, that we were preoccupied with the views of the rest of Scotland!

[MountainTrail]

Hi Iain , great route you provided , much better than the up and down bogfest . Walked it last Friday evening in wet conditions . Remained dry throughout and really enjoyed the final 400m ascent to the summit. Regeneration appears to be going really well with a fine spread of vegetation in the glen . Would recommend this walk to Ben Challum . A couple of pics here , as well as a similar angle to yours , cheers

[IainMacG]

Smashing - glad this report is still helping people!
Thanks for taking the time to let me know. And for those pics - interesting to see how the trees have filled in (although I’m surprised it doesn’t stretch further up the glen!)