Southern Mountains of Crianlarich and Tyndrum

The Southern Mountains
Summits include: Ben More and Stob Binnein, Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean, An Caisteal, Beinn a' Chroin and Beinn Chabhair.





Ben More and Stob Binnien
These are huge summits, both rising above 1100m. The views extend across from Glasgow to Ben Nevis. They can be traversed easily but trudgingly via a 1000m treadmill to Ben More - the most popular route. This route is steep and grassy - an exhausting plod to walk up and quite a strain on the knees to walk down from. In mist it is quite easy to walk into the hanging corrie located west of the main route. This has crags and is a notorious accident blackspot so navigation needs to be precise when walking down this way.



Alternative routes include the nicer circuit of the Allt Coire Chaorach that traverses the two summits from the east via a ridge walk of variable character including some small craggy bluffs. The most painless way though is to walk up via Ben More Glen and the bealach between the two summits. It separates the ascent into three stages and thus relieves the strain of the ascent.

Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tuilachan
This is the next major summit to the west and includes the munro of Beinn Tuilachan. The most scenic ascent route is via the north east ridge that takes in the top of Stob Garbh. It's quite a knobbly ridge that includes numerous false tops and craggy bluffs. The final ascent to Cruach Ardrain is very steep (though a lengthy diversion can be made via a broad shelf east of the summit to the south ridge).



The summit is quite broad - very plateau-like. The south ridge continues easily to the next munro while the northwest ridge drops down to Grey Height.



The biggest obstacle to this hill being ascended is the thick, thick forests skirting the lower slopes around Crianlarich. They discourage direct ascent of the ridges but can be circumvented via the River Falloch or Ben More Glen

An Caisteal and Beinn a' Chroin These summits are the most ridgey of the summits and make an excellent circuit. The best ridges to ascend include Twistin Hill or Stob Glas - the north and northwest ridges of An Caisteal respectively. The south ridge of this summit is generally broad but with one or two craggy bluffs to negotiate. The ascent to Beinn a' Chroin is much steeper despite involving only 80m ascent - there is a path but its route isn't obvious if it's obliterated under snow.



The summit of Beinn a' Chroin is a bumpy very broad ridge/plateau and the easy descent takes you down to the River Falloch. The glen has a good track going half way up the west side of the river.

Beinn Chabhar This is the westernmost Munro of the range. It has a broad west ridge that is extremely knobbly - one of our members commented that he had never seen so many false summits in his life! Some of these summits lower down are quite craggy and look like they would give interesting scrambling routes. The ridge is a great opportunity to practice micro navigation under misty conditions



The boring way up is to ignore the ridge and take the glen which Ben Glas Burn follows - quite boggy and wet.

The last five munros can all be traversed in one long, rewarding summer's day - a few points here. The descent from Beinn Chabhar towards An Caisteal is extremely steep and demands respect in winter. The link from Beinn a' Chroin to Cruach Ardrain lies at the intersection of four maps - and just happens to be quite complicated terrain!

In summary these summits are great - they look grassy from the roadside but are quite interesting when seen on top.