UKC

I'm heading up to Scotland for two days shortly, with a base on Loch Tay. My companions haven't done anything in Scotland before, so I'm keen to show them how brilliant it is, but I'm not too familiar with the immediate area.

I've not done the Tarmachan Ridge before so that seems a good bet for one day, but does anyone have any other suggestions for particularly impressive hills in the area? I've done both Ben Lawers and Schhiehallion a few times so don't really want to repeat them. Vaguely tempted to head down to Glen Coe but if anyone had any gems closer at hand it'd be nice to avoid the drive. Any suggestions?

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Tarmachan ridge is a must-do.

We've several other Route Cards in that area too: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/find.php

Within a reasonably short drive I'd particularly recommend:

Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=220
Ben More and Stob Binnein http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=189

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Schiehallion; http://www.scottishhills.com/html/modules.php?name=Hills&group=1&sh...

In reply to Mike Peacock:
Well, there's Ben Lawers, the 10th highest Munro on the opposite side of the road to to Tarmachan, and can be part of a much longer day ( from 2 to 3 to 5 or 7 Munros )

Then, you have Crianlarich is just 13 miles along the road from Killin - Cruach Ardain a really nice mountain ( and can be linked with one or two others ).

Then just a few miles north of Crianlarich you have Tyndrum, and nearby Ben Lui which is a fantastic hill, and can be combined with Ben Oss and Ben Dubhcraig for a nice circuit in past Scotland's gold mine.

Loads more within say 30 or 40 mile drive, some shorter, easier ones ( eg Meall Gheordaidh just a few miles away up Glen Lochay for a easier, or bad weather option )

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Plenty good suggestions already.

Stob Ghabhar is a lovely mountain. A wee bit further away but not as far as Glen Coe.

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/argyll/stob-ghabhar.shtml

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:





If you do Stuc a'Chroinn in bad weather, don't make the same mistake as I did in thinking the cairn at the top of the buttress is the top. When I went up, the weather was a bit grim and it was all a bit up-and-down-as-quick-as-you-can. It was only when I got home and reread the guidebook that I realised I'd missed the top by horizontal 400 metres.

As Dan say, the Tarmachan Ridge is excellent.

Possibly a bit further than you might want to drive, but Stob Ghabhar is, to my mind, a bit under-rated - it's a good day out and has options to include a nice ridge and another Munro. And you'd get to go past the Real Food Cafe at Tyndrum, purveyors of fine fish'n'chips.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

I was in a very similar situation recently - we chose the Tarmachan Ridge and the Carn Mairg circuit from Glen Lyon http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/carn-mairg.shtml
I'd echo Dan's suggestions above, but if you want a shorter day, Stuchd an Lochain is a good hill: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/stuchd-an-lochain.shtml

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Cruchan is also lovely

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/argyll/ben-cruachan.shtml

Assuming you do it clockwise... when you get to Stob Daimh make sure you exit towards Stob Garbh and not Sron An Isean unless you enjoy making your walk pointlessly longer than it needs to be <ahem>

In reply to Mike Peacock:
If your companions haven't been to Scotland before you should really visit somewhere it bit more mountainous (rocky and steep rather than big green hills) for one of the days IMO. Tarmachan ridge is nice for the big hills day but for the other day I'd either head to The Cobbler sort of area or Ben Lui / Glencoe my self.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

The Carn Mairg group is a good walk, 4 Munros in a fairly easy day.

Creagh Mhor and Being Hesgarnich together sticks in my mind as an interesting walk, the western one is defined by ridges and the eastern by a rounded plateau so you get a feeling that you're on the geological boundary between east and west.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Thanks for all the suggestions. As I said in my OP, I've no real desire to revisit Ben Lawers or Schiehallion. Dan's suggestion of Ben Vorlich looks good though. I've done Ben Lui but not its neighbours and Cruach Ardain looks interesting.

The suggestion of Stob Ghabhar is good - I did that last year and really enjoyed it. Stuchd an Lochain also looks good for a shorter/easier day. I haven't done Ben Cruachan and Stob Diamh, but it strikes me that if we were going to drive that far we may as well head to Glen Coe. I am part thinking that CurlyStevo may well be right. On a good weather day it's hard to beat a day on Bidean for impressive scenery and big views.

Lots to think about though, so thanks for all the input.

In reply to Mike Peacock:
Meall Ghaordaidh from Glen Lyon is a good walk, if rather short. It can be extended over Beinn nan Oighreag as well. Route here: http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=61976
Don't bother going up it from Glen Lochay as it isn't very exciting from there (even though that's what everyone does, giving it a bad reputation).

A good long day out would be a circuit of the Beinn Lawers Munros from Glen Lyon. I know you said you didn't want Ben Lawers again, but this does give a different, much wilder perspective on it.

Creag Mac Ranaich above Lochearnhead is quite a nice hill, and I'd strongly recommend a trip down Loch Voil to Inverlochlarig (obviously getting a little further away from Loch Tay now). You could get onto Stob Binnein or Cruach Ardrain from there, or Stob a' Choin to the south (one of my favourites). Really scenic area.

Make sure you set your companions expectations correctly on some of the less-trodden routes though - particularly around Inverlochlarig. The going can be quite hard away from paths, and if they are used to Wales or the Lakes, it could come as a bit of a shock!

In reply to malky_c:

More food for thought! The Lawers range from Glen Lyon is something I hadn't considered but looks promising on the map, and open to variation. My companions are mainly used to the Lakes, so it will certainly be something different for them.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

You can also make a nice circuit of some of the Lawers hills from the south - park at the Ben Lawers hotel - there's a short bit of "interesting" ground on this route. Have a some food in the hotel afterwards - it has been a few years since I was there, but the food was very good!

In reply to fimm:

Did this circuit again last year. It cost you a fiver to park in the Ben Lawers Hotel car park for the day.

In reply to fimm:
Thanks for the suggestion. It's a possibility, but I think if I were to revisit Ben Lawers then I'd opt for Malky's Glen Lyon approach.

Any suggestions for good low-level walks if the weather is horrendous? I suppose Ben A'an is an obvious choice.

In reply to Mike Peacock:
For low-level walks, especially if the weather has been horrendous for a while, there are some good, short waterfall walks, like:

Falls of Acharn
Falls of Moness
Falls of Bruar
The Hermitage up to Rumbling Bridge near Dunkeld
A fair few more around Crieff, Comrie and Loch Earn.

The old railway line in Glen Ogle could be worth a look too (haven't stopped there myself yet though).

In reply to EddieC:

Thanks for that. I've been to the Hermitage years ago and really enjoyed the little folly viewpoint there. Falls of Acharn look good, as do the Falls of Moness (with the added bonus of tagging them on to a distillery visit).

In reply to Mike Peacock:

If you go to the Falls of Moness and the distillery at Aberfeldy, you could do worse than also go to the Watermill - it's a lovely bookshop in a converted watermill, with a nice cafe in the basement. Aberfeldy also has a nice gallery and a cinema.

In reply to tony:

I've been to Aberfeldy before, but shockingly never been to the Watermill despite having heard endless good things about it.

In reply to Mike Peacock:


If you're thinking of heading that way then I'd suggest doing Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean from Inverlochlarig rather than the A82. Quieter and a more remote feel to it IMO. The farm sells its own produce which could add a nice touch to your evening meal.

For a slightly easier day you could try Beinn Eunaich & Beinn a' Chochuill near Dalmally. Not challenging but still a good dose of fresh air, and some good views.

For bad weather days the forest trail from Killin along the old railway line is pleasant enough, and being an old railway it's fairly well drained. If the rain lifts while you're out then you can head up towards Glen Ogle and grab a cuppa at the cafe on the site of the old station, and take one of the alternative trails back down. If you have bikes with you then you can take them on these trails.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Another option for "rest" days is that the outdoor shop in Killin hire mountain bikes and canoes. You can canoe from the Lochay river just opposite the shop down into Loch Tay.

In reply to Martin W:

Cheers, that's all good to know. The Inverlochlarig area does look rather good on the map, though a bit of a drive if the weather is against us.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Ben Ledi for a short day if weather not good, its close by

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomond/ben-ledi.shtml

A low level walk through Glen Ample is good (if you have two cars) as a through walk, or go into Glen Ample and onto the hills round there - nice scenery, "away from it all" when only just off the main road

http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=43195

Tramachan ridge is a good day out, enjoy your trip