Creag Mac Ranaich and Meall an t-Seallaidh are typical Corbetts – accessible yet generally overlooked by the masses; small-ish but by no means a pushover. Rising above the village of Lochearnhead, these neighbouring tops are a good bet for solitude. You’ll never be alone on nearby headliners like the Tarmachan Ridge or Ben More, yet from Creag Mac Ranaich and Meall an t-Seallaidh the view could be all your own. It’s a route of manageable length, but one that still packs a full Corbett quota of tough terrain, from the rocky crags and knobbles on top to the maze of peat hags in the glen below.
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Height Profile
metres / Distance
miles
Detailed description
1
NN5929123824 Head west through the village, then south along the A84. About 1km from the car park turn right onto a side road running uphill past a church and several houses. At a track junction go right to cross a bridge over an old railway line (now a cycling route). Bear left past a house and continue uphill through woods and pastures to Edinchip Farm. Follow the footpath sign past the farm, then just beyond turn right up a fence line to reach the disused railway.
2
NN5788622638 Cross a bridge over the railway, then take the farm track up into Glen Kendrum. After a little over 2km the track crosses the Kendrum Burn, then zigzags quite steeply up the heathery hillside before easing to make a long steady climb beside a burn, passing beneath the southeast crags of Creag Mac Ranaich to reach the broad, peaty pass that joins the two hills.
3
NN5411024908 At the high point of the pass turn right off the track and climb the rugged west flank of Creag Mac Ranaich, following an intermittent line of stumpy fence posts up grassy ground between scattered rock outcrops. The path here is easily lost. Above this steep slope the trail winds vaguely through knobbly terrain, passing a cairn on a minor top to reach the marginally higher north summit.
4
NN5455525580 Retrace your steps back down to the pass, taking care not to stray too far left onto craggy ground. Cross the track on the pass, then head southwest. The route first weaves through unpleasant peat hags, then climbs the steep grass slope leading up to the obvious saddle between Meall an Fhiodain and Cam Chreag – again, occasional rusty fence posts show the way, and again there's no real path to speak of.
5
NN5373924376 At the saddle cut left, climbing onto the knobbly summit of Cam Chreag. Continue south along the broad ridge for the easy climb onto Meall an t-Seallaidh. The top is marked with a cairn and trig point.
6
NN5418523406 To descend head briefly southeast along the ridge, then bear left onto an obvious shoulder. Now descend the mountain's steep, grassy northeast flank, weaving slightly to avoid any rock outcrops – there is no trail. From point 695m follow a vague spur approximately north over rough soggy ground. As height is lost, trend right. Cross three burns to regain the Glen Kendrum track, and a long easy plod home.
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Difficulty: DifficultDistance: 11.62 miles (18.70 km)
Total ascent: 997m
Time: 6 hours (Walking)
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Additional Information
Start/Finish:Car park in Lochearnhead, NN592238
Nearest town:
Killin or Comrie
Terrain:
A long stretch on a farm track allows for easy access to the hills (using a mountain bike here would be an advantage). Once off the track the paths are sketchy and the ground alternates between steep and complex terrain weaving around rock outcrops, and boggy ground weaving around peat hags.
Seasonal variations:
The steeper ground and crag avoidance would need a bit of care in snowy conditions, particularly if visibility is limited.
Weather and Hill Conditions: mwis: Cairngorms & Monadhliath – Met Office: West Highlands
Public transport:
Bus from Callander or Killin to Lochearnhead
Guidebooks:
The Corbetts (SMC)
Maps:
OS Explorer 365 (1:25,000), OS Landranger 57 (1:50,000), OS Landranger 51 (1:50,000) Directory Listings:
Find more Listings near this route Tourist info:
Killin (08707 200 627); Callander (08452 255 121); Aberfoyle (08452 255 121)
Further Routes
by Dan Bailey UKH
- Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh 5 Feb
- East Ridge of Beinn a' Chaorainn and Beinn Teallach 21 Jan
- A' Chralaig and Mullach Fraoch-choire 4 Dec, 2023
- Meall na Teanga & Sron a' Choire Ghairbh - The Loch Lochy Munros 6 Nov, 2023
- Bynack More 19 Oct, 2023