Cruach an Lochain

5 August 2013

Participants - Just me
Where - Cruach an Lochain, 508m/1,666', Sub-2k Marilyn, Map 56, NS 049938

I drove to this hill via Loch Lomondside, Arrochar and Strachur and back by Dunoon and the Clyde ferry. It was a fine day out. Looking at the map, it looks as though the hill is closely guarded by trees; however there is a good track to follow and only a few yards to go through the trees to get on to the open hillside. There was enough space to park the car in the entrance to the track at 068948.....

It didn't look as though the track had been used by vehicles for a long time and it was a bit overgrown in places. After about a mile, it was time to leave the trees, following a burn up through a break to arrive at this fence.....

Being high summer, the grass was a bit thick in places but overall, the going was quite good. It was bright rather than sunny but also humid and I was struggling a bit. However, there was an absence of insects, hooray! The name of the hill suggested that there were crags and a lochan. Sure enough, I came across the lochan just below the final slopes to the summit.....

but the few boulders that I could see could hardly be termed crags. Arriving at the summit, I reckoned that I had seen a similar view a few times this year, but it was none the worse for that. The Arrochar hills.....

the west coast with today only a vague outline of Jura and Mull.....

and south to the distant peaks of Arran.....

It was brightening up so I lazed about on top for about half an hour. There was no hurry.

There are still a few Marilyns in this area that I haven't yet done so I had a look at possible starting points for some of them as I was driving across to Dunoon. I am not sure how many I will actually attempt, there are rather a lot of trees around here.

It is a really good service from Dunoon to Gourock- and a busy one. This is one of the boats leaving Hunters Quay.....

and a picture of another one heading to the Quay taken from about the mid-way point of the crossing. The weather was absolutely perfect by this time.....