Crianlarich Hill Run

Couple of hills near Crianlarich for a change. Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean, mostly out and back with a couple of minor tops both ways. Improving forecast for the day, cloudy when I left home, gradually cleared as I drove up Loch Lomond side. A mile of forest track to start, turned off for a climb up to the ridge which has the minor tops Grey Height and Meall Dahm on it. Warm on the way up to the ridge but cooled down in a Northerly breeze as I picked my way along the ridge, slow going with its twists and turns, rocks and stones. Steep climb to the col between Ardrain and Tulaichean, Went for the higher top first, Ardrain, cloud covered when I reached  it, took a couple of pictures, turned to leave and the cloud cleared, stayed to take in the views and a few more pictures. Set off for Tulaichean just over a mile away, another photo stop then back towards Ardrain to the exit path, easy run back along the undulating rocky ridge as the day warmed up, plenty of stops to take in the views and pick out future route options.

Beinn A Chroin and An Caisteal from Ardrain

Beinn Tulaichean from Ardrain

Ardrains summit cairn

Ardrain from Tulaichean

Boulder with Stob Binnien behind

Meall Dhamh and Grey Height

Wee lochan, Lui Munros behind
 

Crianlarich Hill run

Travelled up past the top of Loch Lomond to the large layby outside Crianlarich. There are 7 munros in this group, my planned route was round 2 pairs, An Caisteal and Beinn A Chroin them Beinn Tullaichean and Cruach Ardrain, Low cloud and mist all the way up the Lochside. Started up the forest track for 10 or 15 minutes then a worn path leads off to the right that takes you onto Sron Garbh then to An Caisteal, after about 20 minutes the grey above changes to blue and I pop up into sunshine and mountains above a sea of clouds. Expected to be out for about 6 hours and a brisk walk is good enough on the uphills, run the flatter parts and the downs. Pass a few walkers on the way up, stop for a couple of pictures and take on some fuel on the top, I would repeat this routine on at the top of the other 3 munros. Good running down to Bealach Buidhe. It's only a short climb to the top of Beinn a Chroin with 1 wee scramble just below the summit plain, 3 tops here, takes twice as long to cross them all as it did to get to the top. From the third top a path leads down a grassy ridge towards Crianlarich, a short way down leave the path for a grassy gulley heading north on pathless ground towards Beinn Tulaichean, to minimise descent and reascent contour round Stob Glas as close as possible to the large cliffs and crags. Steady climb up grassy slopes to the ridge betwen Tulaichean and Ardrain. Tulaichean first then back along the ridge to Ardrian's twin tops, the higher one furthest away of course. Back towards the ridge then drop steeply down grassy slopes on one of two exit paths, they join together further down on the way to Meall Damh and Grey Heights on the undulating ridge towards Crianlarich, the path turns sharp left at a deer fence, down towards the glen, as dry as it gets today soon back at the forest track for a short run to the car after a seat in the River Falloch to cool off.

An Caisteal right, Beinn a Chroin back left

Ben Lomond from An Caisteal

Cruach Ardrain, left, Beinn Tullaichean from Beinn a Chroin,

Ben More and Stob Binnien behind

Ben More and Stob Binnien from Beinn Tulaichean

Cruach Ardrain from Beinn Tulaichean

Beinn Tulaichean from Cruach Ardrain

Crianlarich Hill Run

Made the most of the good weather forecast, early start and on the hill before 7, just as the sun was rising. 

Looking east to Ben Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin

Stob a Choin over Inverlochlariog Farm

Started at the end of the road to nowhere,  Inverlochlarig. Stob Binnein first, steep climb to start, nearly 2000' in the first mile.

Looking towards Stob Binnein's top from Stob Invercarnaig

Stob Binnein from Stob Corrie an Lochain, Ben More behind

Looking along Glen Dochart from Stob Corrie an Lochain

Gradient eases and undulates up over the minor tops of Stob Invercarnaig and Stob Corrie an Lochain on the way to Stob Binnein's table top.

Ben More from Stob Binnein

Stob Corrie an Lochain from Stob Binnein

Short steep drop to the high coll Bealach eader dha Beinn with a short steep climb from there to Ben More's craggy top. Busier now, had only passed 2 people on Stob Binnein, about a dozen here.

Stob Binnein from Ben More

Cruach Ardrain from Ben More

Back down to the bealach to cross the glen towards Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean on pathless ground, had been on good paths up till now,

Ben More glen

Descending traverse to the head of Ben More Glen then a steep climb up the flank of Stob Garbh, didn't fancy the climb under the crags, looked a bit too steep and went round to the North of this top, had to lose a bit of height going into Coire Ardrain but familiar ground as I had come off Cruach Ardrain the same way a few years ago.

Ben More, left, Stob Binnein, right, from Cruach Ardrain

Crianlarich from Cruach Ardrain

Beinn Tulaichean from Cruach Ardrain

Twisting path gradually forms for the last short steep climb to Cruach Ardrains top, plenty of people here. Back on good paths its a short jog from here to the last top Beinn Tulaichean.

Cruach Ardrain from Beinn Tulaichean

Descent off Beinn Tulaichean

Loch Doine & Loch Voil in Balquhidder from Beionn Tulaichean

Large cairn at the bottom of Beinn Tulaichean, Stob Binnein behind

The path runs along the crest, South at first then swings South East down to the farm at Inverlochlairig. Interesting mix of quiet and busy, paths and pathless, stunning views, about 6 hours all in. 

Crianlarich hill run

Set off early for a run over An Caisteal, Beinn a Chroin and Cruach Ardrain. Stopped near the top of Loch Lomond for a picture of the Loch.

First time up these hills in good weather, not too hot but little wind and blue skies coming through the thin cloud. Ran from the car park a mile or so from Crianlarich. Ran up the forest road to the small path to An Caisteal, slowed to a steady trudge with a few jogs thrown in as the gradient eased once onto the ridge. Cool breeze on top, great views all round.

Ran off the ridge towards Beinn a Chroin, from the high bealach its only a short climb up to its triple summit ridge. Easy run down to the grassy gully and traverse under Stob Glas's towering crags, dropped a bit too low leaving a bigger climb than I should have up to the ridge between Beinn Tulaichean and Cruach Ardrain. Jog walked up the last few wee climbs to Cruach Ardrains busy summit cairn. 

Stopped for a few minutes to take in the views and grab a few pictures. Back along the ridge to the descent path I didn't find last time I was here, ran along the ridge over Meall Dhamh dropping down for a long traverse past Grey Height to avoid the boggy path back to the forest track. Sat in the river Falloch for a few minutes to cool off before the short run back to finish at the car in about 5 1/2 hours, great day. More pictures here.

Crianlarich 5

Returned to these hills after last Saturday's bail out due to low cloud. Waited until Sunday as the Saturday forecast not as good as Sunday's which was for Loch Lomond and Trossachs hills to remain covered in cloud with the odd sunbeam or two to and Central Highlands clear, persuaded myself these hills were central! About 10 when I started, lots of cloud, An Caisteal first, up into the cloud, not much wind so ok. Spoke to a walker who had come over Beinn Chabhair, he gave me confidence the col's were clear and should be able to pick out the ascent line to Chabhair. Dropped down to the pass between Caisteal and A Chroin and managed to work out how to get to Chabhair.

Turn right down a grassy gulley and right again to traverse along to the col crossover which was below the clouds thankfully then straight up steep pathless hillside in to the mist, recognised the top from my last visit in 2009. Met a couple of runners, one rather famous with a couple of wee dogs. Ran straight back down to the col pleased to drop out the mist about 50 yards from where I went up. Tussocky trudge back to the path to A'Chroin. A well worn path to A'Chroin zig zags through a few crags. would be quite airy in clear weather. Gradient soon eases and run walk to the top where I meet a few walkers I passed ascending An Caisteal, they are not sure how to get down and are about to go back the way they came, a big climb back over An Caisteal, managed to help them, A'Chroin has three tops and they didn't realise this! The exit path is from top 3, walked to top 3 with them and sorted their route out. The OS maps they have weren't as clear as my Harveys Superwalker. Used my phone app gridref to confirm exactly where we were, seemed to work perfectly.

 Gulley to Sron Garbh traverse

Next was a traverse under Sron Garbh, down a broad grassy gulley into pathless tussocky slabby terrain, then steep ascent of Beinn Tulaichean.

 Sron Garbh on the left, Tulaichean's ridge behind

A bit stop go up Tulaichean's steep sides as I start to tire. On top and turn right along the undulating ridge to the summit, cool breeze so didn't hang about and turned back along the ridge towards the final munro, Cruach Ardrain, kept going through a few ups until it was only downhill in front of me, must be the top! Set off down a steep twisty path, probably not the best route, I think I should have gone back along the ridge to pick up a path that would take me to the planned descent route down Grey Heights. Gradient eased and although I new roughly where I was gridref gave me a bit more confidence in the mist and set off around the Coire towards Grey Height, involved a wee bit of re-ascent, nothing too much.

 I should be up there

Good run down over a couple of minor tops and suddenly everything became clear, I was under the clouds Crianlarich down below, looking back the tops began to clear. Ran down to finish in about 8 hours, more pictures here.