Cruinn a'Bheinn

5 September 2013

Participants: Neil and Ben
Where: Cruinn a'Bheinn, 633m/2,077', Graham, Map 56, NN 365052

Cruinn a'Bheinn is a Graham that sits in the shadow of Ben Lomond. I had been meaning to do it for a while but had never got round to it until today. They say that the atmosphere is at its clearest after rain. Well, it had rained overnight so I was hoping for great things- I was not to be disappointed. So there are rather more photos in this report than usual! I drove to Inversnaid and parked in the large car park in front of the hotel, it was quite warm and some folk were sitting at tables outside eating their breakfast- very civilised! Looking across Loch Lomond, the hills were clear, a good omen for the day.....

The first couple of miles followed the West Highland Way. I was the only person heading south but there were lots heading north and carrying big packs. Rowchoise bothy must have been busy last night. This part of the Way is really pleasant, a good surface and plenty views across the loch through the trees. This is looking to Ben Vane.....

We were in no hurry and I stopped after about a mile to let Ben take a dip in the loch.....

After a couple of miles we arrived at Cailness cottage.....

and it was time to leave the Way. A 4WD track started behind the cottage and headed steeply up the hillside in a series of curves. And I mean steeply, it must be exciting being driven down the track in particular! The sky had been getting a bit grey and there was clearly a shower coming in over the hills on the other side of the loch.....

but it never reached us. As the track approached the plateau, Ben Lomond came into view.....

and then I got my first sight of the day's objective, a real pudding bowl of a hill. It looked like there was going to be a lot of wet moorland to cross to get to it but it actually wasn't too bad and there were tracks in places, particularly close to the line of an old fence that eased progress.

My faith in MWS was vindicated as it started to clear from the west as we got higher- here are the Arrochar Alps coming back into sunshine.....

And here are a few pictures that I took of them on the way up.....

The hill was quite steep nearer the top, then there were a couple of false tops and then we were there. There was only a small cairn but then I suppose that this isn't a well frequented summit. Ben Lomond looked very close and I could see that there were a lot of folk on top of it. It looks as though you could combine the two hills but that's for someone who is a lot fitter than me.

I took some more photos: the Arrochar Alps again.....

and a view of the hills around Crianlarich with Ben More and Stobinian on the right.....

The 4WD track goes through to Loch Chon which is west of Aberfoyle. This is looking along it to the Marilyn of Beinn Uamha, one that I have still to do.....

The view of Cruinn a'Bheinn and Ben Lomond was better when we got back to the track than it had been on the way up.....

this is looking across Loch Lomond to Loch Fyne; the hill is the Brack.....

and a few more of the Arrochar Alps taken on the way down. Ben Vane.....

Ben Vorlich....

and a final panorama......

My stamina levels have dropped considerably since my stay in hospital and my legs were a bit wobbly on the last mile back to the car. I stopped for 10 minutes to let Ben have another dip in the loch, there are some really lovely spots to sit and relax around here. It had taken the best part of 7 hours to do this hill, a long day for us and even Ben seemed to be a bit tired. But then he had covered at least 3 times the amount of ground that I had!