The Arrochar Alps: (The Cobbler,) Beinn Ime & Beinn Narnain
Map 364S; 9th July 2005 & 7th September 2007

Route with Cobbler: 1635m = 5400' ascent, 9⅔ miles, 6½ hrs.
Route without Cobbler: 1320m = 4335' ascent, 9 miles, 5 hrs.

Route: It is well worth extending the route over these two Munros to include The Cobbler. This makes for a full but not overly long day, and adds interest if you like a spot of scrambling. The cost is around one extra mile and 1000ft (315m) of ascent. Both the south peak and summit block of The Cobbler require exposed scrambling, and there have been fatalities there as a result. They are much easier in dry conditions when there is no ice or snow.
There are several routes up both The Cobbler and Beinn Narnain. I usually ascend The Cobbler by going up to a little beyond the very distinctive Narnain Boulders, cutting left to the SE ridge at the point where scrambling starts for the south peak, and then traversing the South Peak before crossing to the summit block.
The easiest path up the Cobbler is via the bealach and north ridge, and that up the corrie from the Narnain Boulders to the col between the North Peak and the summit block is a straight-forward alternative for some variety. Going the full length of the SE ridge from the weir is also possible.
Similarly, the easiest route up Beinn Narnain is via the bealach between the three hills and then up the NW ridge. I usually include a route between the Narnain Boulders and the SE ridge for either ascent or descent, but traversing all of the SE ridge is possible by using the straight line path up from the parking at Succoth.
Less picturesque, but with a bit less ascent, is to start in Glen Croe at NN24260598 where there is a little parking. This gives the fastest access to Bealach a' Mhaim.
NB As of summer 2018, there is now a hefty £9 parking charge at Succoth. I now park elsewhere.
Weather 9/7/05: Very warm & humid, cloud at 800m, rising to 900m, essentially no rain.

Route 7/8/07: The recently engineered track from the road to the dam is tedious & bland: well graded for cyclists, not pedestrians, and twice as long as a direct path. Take all the short-cuts possible. I'm unclear about whether either of the two old paths directly up the hill still exists; they are still on the map, but may be too overgrown in the summer. They would be preferable for a keen walker. From the dam up to Bealach a'Chlaidheimh the engineered path is excellent and very fast, but there is only a poor, sodden, peaty path N from there to the summit of Ben Ime.
Conditions 7/8/07: 17°C at lochside; continuous persistent light rain & wind; cloud to below bealachs (at around 500m).