walkhighlands

Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean from Crianlarich

Munros: Beinn Tulaichean, Cruach Àrdrain

Date walked: 02/08/2021

Time taken: 6.5 hours

Distance: 23km

Ascent: 1200m

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I had been eyeing up these two munros, but from Crianlarich, for the best part of 2 years having first looked at the route in 2019 and then losing a year of hillwalking to Covid-19. Monday 2/8/21 was earmarked. My plan was always to get the train Glasgow > Crianlarich and promptly take leave of my senses by walking down the A82 for a 2-ish km to the start of the walk (the lay-by and semi permanent works area). I arrived at Crianlarich at 12:45pm and set off. With signs of tread on the grassy side of the A82 I was at least reassured I wasn't the first or only fool to charge down the A82 on foot. The weather was sunny but not too hot, some high passing cloud giving some respite, and a gentle breeze.

Before long I was at the quite sizeable lay-by and ready to get off the road with haste. You can clearly see the road track heading up between Cruach Ardrain / Beinn Tulaichean on the left and An Casteal / Beinn a'Chroin on the right. It also heads up the side of the forestry area and I knew I was to turn left at the end of this area (after about 15 mins) before heading headlong up the fenceposts to climb the Grey Height. The clear veering off to the left to climb along the fenceposts didn't stop me overshooting it to the fence before doubling back. You can clearly see the path down to cross a nice new looking bridge across the River Fallon with the fenceposts ahead.

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Upon crossing the river you can see what will be an unrelenting grassy slog up roughly along the fenceposts. I'm not the greatest at natural navigation to be honest but for what it's worth at this time of year (August) the grass is knee high and the path (or paths, I think there are a couple) can be easily lost. I've seen other photos and walk reports at different times of the year and the path is very clear but just worth mentioning it's harder when the summer growth is full! What followed was some arduous soaked in sweat drudging up the hill to Grey Height (686m). It felt like harder climbing than the infamous Ben More (just the other side of the Grey Height) but as I say my first hill in a year and also memory is funny old thing...

View back down the grassy slopes and to the wee bridge:

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Eventually reaching the ridge the path becomes a more reliable and pleasurable stony one, eroded in parts but as you are on the ridge it's clear where to go. The views start to become brilliant as well, with An Casteal etc to your right hand side, as well as vast views north, and Ben More coming into view on the left.

Twistin' Hill and An Casteal from the first lochan you pass on the ridge:

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Views north:

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Ben More and Stob Binnein:

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The ridge walk is quite pleasant but Cruach Ardrain looms ahead impressively if ominously:

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Pano of the 270 degrees view from the ridge:

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The walk along the ridge is undulating and pleasant before pulling steeply left for 20 mins or so to get up to near the summit of Cruach. The path meets the path which connects Cruach and Tulaichean and it's clear to head left for Cruach and right for Tulaichean. It's only another 10 minutes and one false top before reaching the top of Cruach Ardrain where I longed for a rest and something to eat. I'd seen one fella right at the start of the track and hadn't seen anyone since. I expected to see folk at the summit but there was nobody and nobody in sight. Bliss. Incredible views all around.

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A 15 minute sit down and some photos before heading back where I came from with Beinn Tulaichean in the middle. Not so obvious here but the path is clear as day straight down and then gently up.

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Looking back to Cruach Ardrain with Ben More and Stob Binnein on the right, taken from the short ascent of Beinn Tulaichean:

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Again nobody at the top of Beinn Tulaichean. Nothing to do but enjoy the views, have another sandwich and think about heading back. I'd wondered, and had been looking along the walk, if I could head down to Coire Earb from the bealach where the two paths met, mentioned above. Being solo, relatively inexperienced, and not seeing any walk reports which did this (have seen one now), as well as the crags and ground near Stob Glas looking steep and intimidating I was unconvinced about what to do. I knew there was a path at the river which was actually the road track I started on and it would be a very pleasant walk back along the river, but I just played it safe / sh*t it and decided to retrace my steps. I'd read about being able to avoid some of the short steep re-ascent sections by staying at 900m and traversing round the west side of Cruach Ardrain but a brief attempt at this proved unsuccessful leading me to scamper back to the path and endure what felt like ascending almost all of Cruach again. It would be nice enough to walk back along the ridge but it's always good to do a circular route if possible, and I had half an eye on the time. I was hoping to catch the 7:30pm train and it was now well after 5pm. I tried to get a shift on but was really feeling it now and trying to walk/run down the grassy slopes from Grey Height wasn't great.

Heading down pronto:

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As I scampered (staggered) down I said if I made it to the A82 for 7pm I could make the train. I made it to the track road (10-15 mins from the A82) at 7pm. Agonising stuff but alarmed by the thought the pub might be shut, and that the shop would definitely be shut, I decided to go for it instead of waiting until the 9:50pm train. Running like a hill battered shadow of someone once full of enthusiasm for the day I vowed to make the bloody train. Which I did, with 3 mins to spare 8)

But this pain is temporary, and once half recovered on the train, I could enjoy the memories of a brilliant day.

Some take aways:

1. Don't think just because you play footy and do some running that you won't seriously pay in lack of fitness when it comes to smashing a double munro day.
2. Apart from yer man at the start I didn't see a single person all day, not even on the horizon.
3. Bear in mind that some of the path, both grassy bit on ascent and eroded parts on ridge, would be harder to follow in even light snow or obviously if in poor conditions
4. The area around here is known for being boggy (eg see the general advice to do the route via the road track as I did, and not straight through the forestry). There were no boggy parts for me but it's been the driest few weeks for as long as I can remember and bits of the route would have been quite wet even with some normal, 'mild' amounts of rain for the area. Less so once on the ridge but certainly the grassy slopes.
5. The main route on WH is the one given from Inverlochlarig but I've seen other reports saying that the route from Crianlarich side is better and I could certainly support that it's a grand walk with grander views all day. However, it is longer. Note WH route says 12.5km whereas I was 22km, albeit with 4-5km of A82 walking you wouldn't be doing if driving and parking up.

Thanks for reading!

If interested I am @danschirn on Instagram for my hillwalking and cycling (and a few other) adventures.

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Comments: 2


danschirn



Munros: 23
Corbetts: 3
Fionas: 1
Donalds: 1
Sub 2000: 3



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Statistics

2021

Trips: 1
Distance: 23 km
Ascent: 1200m
Munros: 2


Joined: Sep 26, 2018
Last visited: Mar 24, 2024
Total posts: 2 | Search posts