Munros in the Deep South, Part 1

[Beaner001]

As a famous A-Team leader once said “I love it when a plan comes together”. I am hoping to start utilising the miles more efficiently as I have driven too many for day trips of late and decided a stay was in order to get a couple days walking in. The weather was looking great for the weekend and with it being an Aberdeen holiday on the Monday it meant a Sun/Mon job. My wife was working a 12 hour shift on Sunday so she gave the thumbs up for the trip, ‘he shoots, he scores’. Martinh got in touch to say he and his wife Denise would be up in the Perth area and would I like to meet for a trip, hell yeah. We planned on three of the Crianlarich Munros neither of us had tackled. How and where to stay were the next thing on the agenda, I had recently purchased a new tent for the remote Munros I hope to start tackling so if I could get a camping site down in Tyndrum that be great, however when I phoned By the Way they said they had a camping cabin available and they took dogs. Deal.
I met Martin and Denise at their accommodation in Perth then we drove to our start point in the huge Layby on the A82 South West of Crianlarich.

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Initially we thought about placing a car at the other end of the walk to save on a walk back up the road but as we had plenty time on our hands and the weather was so good we decided we’d walk back up part of the West Highland Way back to the cars. We started along the track that runs beside the River Falloch down the East side of Twistin Hill till we reached a fence and a faint path, here we took to the open hillside to start the ascent up to Sron Gharbh.

Marts ascending up to Sron Gharbh

Looking back to where we parked the cars on the A82

There were lots of Sheep and lambs around so the dogs were leashed up till we got around half way to Sron Gharbh where they got off to run wild. Martin and Denise were into their third day walking and were doing really well with this in mind, we soon made the ridge and the route along Twistin Hill to ‘The Castle’ looked great.

Twistin Hill and the Castle

Back down Twistin Hill

There were a couple of difficult steps to negotiate up to ‘The Castle’ but we made it fine, a bypass path does go along to the left of this which the dogs found and they greeted me on top.

Approaching the Castle

The Castle that Guards the Summit

And again

Next target was the summit of An Caisteal which we could see ahead, this was a really nice stroll to the summit where pics were taken and we took the chance to survey our route ahead to Beinn a’Chrion and back over to Beinn Chabhair.

Ben More and Stob Binnein hiding at the back of Cruach Ardain

Summit An Caisteal

Beinn a'Chroin from An Caisteal

An again zoomed, our route onto BaC is the right hand side

It looked a fair drop to the bealach between An Caisteal and Beinn Chabhair but we’d deal with that after Beinn a’Chroin. We dropped down to the bealach and had a spot of lunch before tackling the steep ascent up to Beinn a’Chrion. The ascent included one steep rocky step which the dogs scrambled up with a bit of help from me and the rest was all just a steep path.

Lochy acting the 'mountain' goat

The path over to the West summit undulated all the way dropping into snow filled gullies then out again, we went over the West summit to be sure before heading to the East summit for rest and more food.

Eastern Summit BaC ahead

Summit BaC

The views over to the other Crianlarich Munros were superb, and we could see all the way to Ben Lomond, the Lawers region and even big Ben was poking out in the distance as clear was the sky! We stayed about 30 minutes on the top, Martin his boots off relaxing in the sun gave the dogs a couple of oat cakes which they demolished, hope he hasn’t opened a can of worms for himself now when were out walking together lol. We reluctantly set off back across to the West summit and over this to start the descent down to the bealach between this and An Caisteal. That difficult step was not nearly as bad on the way down. We passed a couple of groups of walking clubs and one of the guys we passed must have been well into his 70’s (unless he had a horrendous paper round) and he was motoring along, fair play to you sir.

We made the bealach and surveyed our route down to the start of the ascent to Beinn Chabhair.

Route down to the start of Beinn Chabhair

Looking back to from where we'd come

Picking our way down carefully we soon made the flat section we had aimed for and then started the ascent up.

Roy spotted something, or like us he was admiring the perfect sky

It was quite steep in places but the grass was dry so we got good grip and took our time stopping frequently for water. Then all of a sudden we came to the ridgeline we were aiming for and the summit was ahead on our left. My goodness when does this ever happen, normally when I’m ascending like this I get to where I think the top is only to realise there is more ascent ahead, we weren’t complaining. I have to say the summit of Beinn Chabhair is like a wee eagles nest at the end of a snaking ridge and I thought it looked magnificent.

Summit Beinn Chabhair looking back over to An Caisteal and Beinn a'Chroinn

The team at the summit

The wind had started picking up a bit so we retreated back along the ridge out of it for a food stop before our descent.

Looking back at the nest like summit Beinn Chabhair

We knew we could not go down the standard route up for this hill as we’d be too far from the cars so we planned on descending off Chabhair to the East to follow the Allt a’ Chuilnn burn down and loan behold there was a newly laid hydro track starting at the Coire a’Chuilnn which was followed all the way down to Blackcroft.

Route down to the hydro track

And again

Looking back at Beinn Chabhair

Here we joined the West Highland Way which has been ruined here due to the Hydro works, the path is a horrible stony hard core which was miserable to walk on. Signage was clear on the way to follow though. It is a route I would love to do, but have never gotten round to it. The WHW was followed till it crosses the A82 via an underpass where we left it and joined the verge on the A82 back to the cars. Time was pushing on for my check in at By the Way so quick goodbyes done and I shot off. Cheers Marts and Denise for a great day out. I made it in time and even got to go to the Real food Café for supper which I took out and ate back at the camp site. It was a lovely evening and I and the dogs sat out till nearer 10pm (no midge present yet), I even enjoyed a warmish can of lager and the mutts got pig’s ears. A great day was had; indeed we were sleeping Deep into the Southern lands far from our North Eastern home.

Content at the campsite

[martin.h]

It was a really good day Matt, perfect weather, good company and no sense of urgency, the sort of day that makes it all worthwhile.
I'll bring an extra packet of oatcakes for Roy and Lochy next time, if that's o.k.
Thanks again.

[simon-b]

A nice trio of hills, Beaner. Quite a tough day, but getting across to Beinn Chabhair from the other two perhaps isn't as hard as may be feared. I agree with you that Beinn Chabhair has a fine summit.

[Collaciotach]

Good report and well done getting Chabair as well

Did that one as a single and rates as one of my least favs ,saw nothing at all and tricky to navigate in the mist so good to see her in the flesh

[Beaner001]

It was a really good day Matt, perfect weather, good company and no sense of urgency, the sort of day that makes it all worthwhile.
I'll bring an extra packet of oatcakes for Roy and Lochy next time, if that's o.k.
Thanks again.

Aye Marts, all back to normality now. Agreed it was a perfect day. Lol, they might hold you to that
Thanks again

A nice trio of hills, Beaner. Quite a tough day, but getting across to Beinn Chabhair from the other two perhaps isn't as hard as may be feared. I agree with you that Beinn Chabhair has a fine summit.

It was not nearly as bad as I was expecting, it was a nice way to do Chabhair, Cheers

Good report and well done getting Chabair as well

Did that one as a single and rates as one of my least favs ,saw nothing at all and tricky to navigate in the mist so good to see her in the flesh

Cheers Colla, have been looking at doing more with the miles I've been driving so was chuffed to get the three done, I really liked Chabhair, the weather may be the difference like

[GillC]

Fab walk that,,did the same 3 a couple of years ago on a warm sunny day,,I parked at the bottom end though and started on Chabhair, then a'Chroin and back down off Caisteal before sauntering down the road from the BIG carpark. (at least it was down hill lol) Grand day you had there.

[spiderwebb]

Nice one, cant beat those camping cabins, although I had the added incentive of the 4 days monsoon to tempt me away from my tent and the superb drying room, I would have stayed in there. But young Eric braved the elements for day 1

Great pic of Lochy the goat

[skuk007]

Great report Beaner.

Bringing back the memories of when I did these, seems too long ago now.

I did almost similar but in reverse, the climb up to the bealach between An Caisteal and Beinn a’Chrion was hard work

Glad you had good weather for this round, they give great views all round.

[Beaner001]

Fab walk that,,did the same 3 a couple of years ago on a warm sunny day,,I parked at the bottom end though and started on Chabhair, then a'Chroin and back down off Caisteal before sauntering down the road from the BIG carpark. (at least it was down hill lol) Grand day you had there.

Cheers Gill, I read your report prior

Nice one, cant beat those camping cabins, although I had the added incentive of the 4 days monsoon to tempt me away from my tent and the superb drying room, I would have stayed in there. But young Eric braved the elements for day 1

Great pic of Lochy the goat

Would defo go back Dave, lol you and bad weather? Never
Cheers

Great report Beaner.

Bringing back the memories of when I did these, seems too long ago now.

I did almost similar but in reverse, the climb up to the bealach between An Caisteal and Beinn a’Chrion was hard work

Glad you had good weather for this round, they give great views all round.

Thanks, I really enjoyed it too, we were lucky with the weather but I agree the views were fabulous with clear skies