Glen Douglas

Back to Glen Douglas for the first time in a year, longer run planned, a circuit of the hills on the Loch Lomond side of the glen then across the Glen for a couple of other hills. Parked in the hill access car park and set off for Beinn Bhreac, steady walk up, followed the quad bike track until I could see the fence then straight up, over the fence and it's a short walk/trot to the trig point, good views but a bit limited with the low cloud. Easy run towards Ben Reoch on a quad bike track beside a fence, walked the uphill then left the track as it dropped towards Loch Lomond, a short tussock bash and I'm on top. Tullich Hill next via the Spotty Trig at Monadh Tighe Na Laraich, mostly tussocks with the odd faint path where I could find it. Good views to Arrochar and the Alps from the Spotty Trig. From here faint paths wind up towards Tullich they disappear as the gradient increases. Over the top and descend a better path on the eastern ridge until it reaches the new plantation of native & conifer trees. Stumble down to a track 3/4's of the way through the trees that goes along towards the back entrance to the MOD missile store. Use their bridge to cross the river and set off round the outside of the fence, prohibited area warning signs frown on me as I run along. Back into walk mode as it gets steeper, a well worn path follows the outside of the fence. Leave the fence at the back of the compound and head up a glen towards Cruach an t Sidhein, another handy bridge gets me across a stream onto the North ridge of this steep wee hill, a cold wind makes for hard going, reluctant to stop to refuel, should have as the climb took longer and felt harder than it should. Didn't hang about on top in the blustery wind, jogged down the steep drop for a quick refuel before the climb up to Beinn Lochain. One more hill to go, Doune Hill, but its got 2 tops, thought about going round the 2nd top but it only took a few minutes to go over. Descent via the east ridge to avoid the crags, pleasant grassy quad bike track to start then mostly sheep mown ground before a tussock bash to the river and haven of my car.

Arrochar Alps from Bhreac, looking between Tullich left, Reoch right

Top of Loch Lomond from Bhreac

Tullich from Reoch

The Spotty Trig silhouetted against The Brack from Reoch, 

Arrochar from the Spotty Trig

Cruach an T Sidhein, back right and Doune Hills 2 tops in cloud on the left from Tullich

Beinn Eich from Cruach an t Sidhein

Doune Hills top from its 2nd (lower) top, you can just see the Trig

Glen Douglas Hill Run

3 years since I ran here, a tough wee circuit, there's a parking space for 3 or 4 cars in the middle of the glen, start a slow jog up a quad bike track that heads up alongside a fence and conifer forest, through a gate and slow to a walk as the gradient increases, stayed with the quad bike track as it swung north then turned straight uphill at the end of a steep rise, climbed another fence as the gradient eases on the approach to the top and trig point of Beinn Bhreac with great views of Loch Lomond and the hills beyond. Turned North West along the ridge on a faint path towards Ben Reoch, the path converges with a fence and quad bike track and goes through the boggy col between the 2 hills followed by a short climb avoiding a couple of minor tops on the way, leave the track and fenceline as it starts to lose height towards Loch Lomond for a short climb to Reoch's top. A steep pathless descent SW alongside old fenceposts towards Tullich Hill, across the col take a rising traverse West and then North onto the ridge to reach the trig on Tullich's Northern spur at Monadh Tighe Na Laraich, a great wee viewpoint overlooking Arrochar and the Alps. Turn S/SE on a faint path that soon fades for a short run walk up to Tullich's flat top, take in the views then leave on another faint path down Tullich's SE ridge towards Tullich Farm, high steps help cross a couple of deer fences protecting the plantation at the bottom leaving a short run along the road to finish.

Tullich Hill from ascent of Bhreac

Arrochar Alps from ascent of Bhreac

Loch Lomond from Bhreac

Google Pano from Ben Reoch

Arrochar Alps from Monadh Tighe Na Laraich

Tullich hill from Monadh Tighe Na Laraich

Ben Lomond from Tullich hill's top

Mid Hill (L) & Doune Hill (R) from descent off Tullich

Glen Douglas

Planned a route round the three Glen Douglas Hills, cross the glen and climb Cruach an t Sidhein, Beinn Lochian and Doune Hill. Two objectives today, reach the Trig point on Monadh Tighe na Laraich on Tullich Hills North ridge and find a good descent line off Doune Hill into Glen Douglas. I had failed to reach the Trig twice before, once through fatigue and once in the clag. The direct descent off Doune Hill is full of crags and gullies, the first time I got through easily the second time cost me half an hour of re-ascent and traversing to pick my way through. Early start before 6:30, Beinn Bhreac first, no views today with cloud covering the tops, hopefully it would lift enough to reach the Trig. Ran along to Ben Reoch, the path criss-crosses a new fence line. Down towards Tullich Hill next, keeping close to the watershed to minimise height loss, the cloud had risen above the trig and I took a rising traverse towards Monadh Tighe na Laraich, hit the ridge a bit too soon giving some extra climb. This would be a good viewpoint for the Arrochar Alps on a clear day, I'll need to go back. Just over a mile to the top of Tullich Hill then the run down in to Glen Douglas through a new plantation of natural Scottish trees. I thought about stopping here but had made good time, just over three hours, and decided to stick to the plan. Set off round the Glen Douglas military base towards Cruach an t Sidhein. Steep at first following the fence line round the base then a gradual climb to a small bridge over the stream, a rising traverse to the ridge which steepens as you approach the summit, another cloudy one. Another new fence to follow down to the col before Beinn Lochain, a shortish climb then along to the twin tops of Doune Hill. Descent to Glen Douglas is off the second top, mindful of staying away from the crags I overcompensated and realised I had turned 180 degrees and was going back the way I came, luckily realised pretty quickly and only lost a few minutes. Tried again and picked a better line, avoiding the crags but not quite staying on the ridge I had hoped for, still made for an easy grassy descent to finish inside 6 1/2 hours, about an hour longer than I had hoped for probably as this route doesn't have as many paths as the other hills round Luss.

Tullich Hill from Beinn Bhreac

Loch Lomond from the traverse to Ben Reoch

Tullich Hill from Ben Reoch

Deer on Tulloch Hill

Trig on Monadh Tighe na Laraich

Arrochar from Monadh Tighe na Laraich

 Monadh Tighe na Laraich trig with Tullich Hill in the background

Doune Hills craggy flank from the descent off Tullich Hill

Ridge to Cruach an t Sidhein on the right over the Military base from Tullich Hill

Panorama of the 3 Glen Douglas hills from Doune Hill

Glen Douglas

 Run round the three hills, wanted to take in the minor top Monadh Tigh Na Lairich with its trig point on Tullich Hills North ridge as well. Beinn Bhreac to start, good climb, about 1800' in under 1 1/2 miles, up into the cloud, from the top followed the fence line turning north to Ben Reochs top as the fence line dropped back down towards Loch Lomond, South West next dropping into the glen before the climb up Tullich Hill. Plan was for a rising traverse, West to start then North, made it onto the ridge, poor visibility made things difficult, after a wander about I came across a small cairn, not the Trig point I was looking for, gave up and headed to Tullich Hills top. My Strava trace reveals the small cairn was Tullich hills top, so I visited it twice! Think I'll wait for better weather or maybe take a map next time. Finished in  about 3 1/2 hours.

Beinn Bhreac

Ben Reoch

Arrochar

Tullich Hill, 1st time

Tullich Hill, second time :)

My car is down there

Glen Douglas

Forecast was about right, although frosty in the glen the ground wasn't frozen, higher up it was but the damage was done on the boggy slope lower down, wet feet and cold toes.

Reached the top of Beinn Bhreac to great all round snowy peaks disappearing into the distance. The old path  to Ben Reoch criss crosses a new fence built just of the crest of the ridge, followed this down to the Beallach then gradually turned towards Reoch as the fence dipped down to the right.

The uphills a slow trudge in the patchy snow.

Stunning views of the Arrochar Alps from Reochs top.

Steep down into the glen then another trudge up beside Tullich Hills crags, nice and warm in the sun, apart from  my toes! Couple of small frozen lochs at the top add to the views.

East run back down into the Glen, found a nice trod though most of the new "native" plantation to finish just over three hours.

Glen Douglas run

Parking space at the top of Glen Luss was full, drove along to Glen Douglas for the 6 mile loop round Beinn Bhreac, Beinn Reoch and Tullich hill. Took it steady up Bhreac, the views from the top worth the grind.

Down a narrow trod to the col between Bhreac and Reoch then followed the quad bike track as it winds its way across the undulating ridge and the short climb to Reochs top.

Steep drop before the climb up Tullich Hill, climbing up beside the crags, picked a new gulley to access the summit plateau and rewarded with finding a small antler. 

Good run off Tullich until the bottom section, the ground is a bit rough where some trees have been planted. Finished in about 3 hours. More pictures here.

Glen Douglas

Shorter run this week, the three Glen Dougls hills, about 6 miles round with 3200' of ascent. Beinn Bhreac, Ben Reoch and Tullich Hill. Steep climb up from Invergroin to top out at the trig point across Loch Lomond from the Ben.

Ben Reoch (right) and Tullich Hill (left) from Bhreac

Cold wind, quick photo and off own gentle slopes before the gentle climb up Reoch, followed what looks like quad bike tracks, not the direct route but avoiding the worst of the bogs.

Beinn Bhreac from Reoch

Steep drop from Reoch towards the bealach before Tullich hill, took the first gulley onto the top rather than the last, not so muddy.

Good views to the Luss hills.

Ran down to Invergroin through a new plantation, not sure what kind of trees but didn't look like conifer, so might be ok. Finished in 2 1//2 hours, more pictures here.