M87: Cruach Ardrain

Colin's Munros

Cruach Ardrain, Beinn Tulaichean, Beinn a'Chroin, etc; Maps 364N/365
19th June 2005 & 22nd August 2008

Route: 15½ miles; 2270m = 7440' ascent; 11–13 hrs.

Route This route over five Munros certainly makes a long day, but it can easily be broken at any point by a return NNW down the nearest valley. However, with fairly high passes between most of the mountains, it makes a great round.

For those not doing tops such as Stob Garbh, the approach to Cruach Ardrain should be via Grey Height and Meall Dhamh. Otherwise, reaching Stob Garbh, the first top, is a bit of a pain. It involves crossing the River Falloch, which might be a problem after heavy rainfall, and walking half a mile up the rather wet terrain of Coire Ardrain. To reach Coire Ardrain, either take the track marked in the GPS route or follow the fence along the top of the forest under Grey Height, as in the table below. There's little to choose between these. The latter is ⅓ mile shorter and only about 30m more ascent but over rougher ground.
The only difficulty is route finding from Beinn Tulaichean to the bealach with Beinn a'Chroin if there is no visibility. It is easy to run into the cliffs of Stob Glas. I have always descended the corrie between Beinn Tulaichean and Stob Glas and then contoured round below the cliffs to the bealach, as below. Alternatively, as in the GPS route, contour round from Beinn Tulaichean to the top of Stob Glas, gaining any height necessary to avoid the cliffs, and then descend to the bealach by the ridge path.
From the bealach between Cruach Ardrain and Beinn a'Chroin it is best to get on to the north ridge of Beinn a'Chroin as early as possible since it has a good path.
There is some controversy over which top is the summit of Beinn a'Chroin. Current opinion has settled on the middle top, marked on the map as 942m, rather than the easternmost which is marked as 940m. This route traverses all the tops, so you will certainly not miss the summit!
Rather than following a direct route, the path off Beinn a'Chroin descends SW from the summit down the cliffs and then loops round NW to the bealach with An Caisteal (Bealach Buidhe).
The descent from An Caisteal to the bealach with Beinn Chabhair is easiest by leaving the ridge at the 920m contour, following the stream marked on the 1:25000 map SW down to between 700m and 750m, and then heading direct for the bealach. I've not seen a path connecting the two mountains.
After a long day, I've descended Beinn Chabhair from the col before Meall nan Tarmachan to avoid ascending the many bumps further along the NW ridge. It is easy, soft going over grassy slopes, although initially steep, with a pleasant walk out along the valley and then the West Higland Way.

Conditions 19/6/05: Humid, cloud base 550m; warm, mostly dry, one or two light showers, no wind.
22/8/08: Dry, but cool with dampness in the air, cloud base 4000', overcast, tops clear.
Terrain: Paths on all ridges except Cruach Ardrain to Beinn a'Chroin.

19/6/05	22/8/08	Description	Ht.	Asc.	Dist.	Grid Ref.	Mobile
0630	0725	Park at P on A82, 1 mile S of Crianlarich (in a section of the old road). At N end of parking, take stile to bridge under railway.	180	0	0.0 miles	NN36872385	Orange
0635	0730	S to bridge over R. Falloch	175		0.3 miles	NN36992379
0650	0750	Track SE to footbridge at forest edge	245	85	1.15 miles	NN37862287
0800	0900	Follow E along deer fence under Grey Height to Allt Coire Ardrain	500	390	2.66 miles	NN40132270
0830	0935	Ascend E to col S of Stob Coire Bhuidhe	816	690	3.15 miles	NN40902261
0850	0955	S to T Stob Garbh	959	835	3.5 miles	NN41132216	No Orange
		S to col	905		3.7 miles	NN41272183
—	1010	Stob Garbh SE Top (by-passed by path)	925	840	3.8 miles	NN41292173
0910	1015	SSW to col	850		3.95 miles	NN41182151
0930	1040	SW to M Cruach Ardrain – NE Top	1046	1045	4.2 miles	NN40922123	No Orange
		WSW for 100yds to col	1035		4.21 miles	NN40872120
0945	1045	SW 100yds to Cruach Ardrain, SW Top	1046	1060	4.25 miles	NN40812116
1005	1105	SW/S/SSE to bealach	825		4.9 miles	NN41242031
1020	1120	SSE to M Beinn Tulaichean (cairn)	946	1180	5.45 miles	NN41661958	No Orange
1150	1210	Return NW, leave ridge after 400m and head directly for Coire Earb. Descend Allt Earb, then contour round to bealach. (Wasted much time in clouds the first time.)	515	1190	6.9 miles	NN39761967
1235	—	Ascend stream just W of "The Convention", then Either W onto N ridge of Beinn a'Chroin (onto path again).	640	1305	7.25 miles	NN39241957
—	1245	Or (much less good) S to col with Garbh	738	1405	7.7 miles	NN39851852
1305	1310	S (resp. W) to T? Beinn a'Chroin E top	940	1610	7.9 miles	NN39391859	Orange
		W to col	877		8.05 miles	NN39131866
	1330	W to M Beinn a'Chroin (top by lochan)	942	1675	8.3 miles	NN38761859	No Orange
		W to col	918		8.35 miles	NN38691858
1330	1340	W to T? Beinn a'Chroin, W Top	938	1695	8.4 miles	NN38581856
1355	1400	Circuitous path SW then W then NW to Bealach Buidhe	805		8.8 miles	NN38131857
1425	1430 -1435	NNW to M An Caisteal	995	1895	9.33 miles	NN37851934	Orange
1455	—	Either (if cloudy): Return SSE to Bealach Buidhe	805			NN38131857
1515	—	Descend stream SW then easy diagonal descent to beallach.	619			NN37301835
—	1440	Or (if clear): Return SSE down ridge to highest level section on ridge at 915m.	915		9.5 miles	NN37871908
—	1505	Descend easy grassy slopes SW to bealach	619		10.1 miles	NN37301835
1620	1550 -1600	Then straightforward ascent SW to S ridge of Beinn Chabhair then N to M Beinn Chabhair	933	2205	10.7 miles	NN36741794	Orange
		NW to col with Meall nan Tarmachan	719		11.3 miles	NN35961840
		Either Horizontal path W for 1km to Garbh Bealach Or Descend directly N off ridge.
	1655 -1715	Easy descent N to Allt a' Chuilinn or (resp.) its confluence with its main tributary.	265 315		12.1 miles	NN35651962
1845	1755	N to West Highland Way at R. Falloch crossing.	120	2205	13.75 miles	NN35172188
1905	1815	West Highland Way to tunnel under road.	150	2235	14.66 miles	NN36012298
1930	1830	A82 NE back to layby car parking.	180	2267	15.45 miles	NN36872385	Orange

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Cruach Ardrain, Beinn Tulaichean, Beinn a'Chroin, etc; Maps 364N/365
19th June 2005 & 22nd August 2008

Route: 15½ miles; 2270m = 7440' ascent; 11–13 hrs.

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Colin's Munros

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Cruach Ardrain, Beinn Tulaichean, Beinn a'Chroin, etc; Maps 364N/365 19th June 2005 & 22nd August 2008

Route: 15½ miles; 2270m = 7440' ascent; 11–13 hrs.

Cruach Ardrain, Beinn Tulaichean, Beinn a'Chroin, etc; Maps 364N/365
19th June 2005 & 22nd August 2008