📌 Crianlarich Hills, Stirling
★★★★
Despite an unpromising start (by a construction site in 2021), an ascent of An Caisteal together with its neighbour Beinn a’ Chroin must be one of the best, most varied day walks in the Crianlarich Hills. An Caisteal (The Castle) takes the form of a rewarding ridge route, although with a bit of a slog beforehand; the summit does indeed have a fortress-like profile on the gentle northern approach. The descent ridge is shorter but much steeper with a couple of hands-on moments once the crest loses definition, and this is mirrored by the equally direct ascent to Beinn a’ Chroin. Once you’ve visited all the knobbly summits (just to make sure), an easier ridge drops into the upper reaches of Glen Falloch. Wet feet are nearly inevitable, whether in one of countless clear pools on a hot day, or in bog traversed by the rather soggy path on a rainy one.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Cattle at the start 
Wheatear 
Foot of Sròn Gharbh 
Glen Falloch 
Twistin Hill 
An Caisteal upper slopes 
View back along the ridge towards Crianlarich & Tyndrum 
An Caisteal summit, looking north 
Looking west 
Looking east 
Looking south 
Beinn a’ Chroin from An Caisteal 
An Caisteal’s scrambly descent route, seen from Beinn a’ Chroin 
Beinn Chabhair from the ascent of Beinn a’ Chroin 
Scramble on ascent to Beinn a’ Chroin 
Beinn a’ Chroin summit area 
Beinn a’ Chroin summit area 
Upper Glen Falloch 
Glen Falloch 
River Falloch
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at layby on A82 1.5 mi southwest of Crianlarich
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NN 369239
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.379034,-4.643007
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Layby
📝 Key info
▶ 14 km / 9 mi | ▲ 1050 m | ⌛ 6-7 hr
Features: △ Sròn Garbh (709 m); △ An Caisteal (995 m, Munro); △ Beinn a’ Chroin (942 m, Munro)
⬤ Tough | Gravel path to underpass than good track for first mile. Paths elsewhere: faint to gain the ridge and also for some of the descent from Beinn a’ Chroin. Some bog in the glen. A few easy scrambles descending An Caisteal and ascending Beinn a’ Chroin. Crossing the River Falloch on descent could be difficult in spate.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start – leave track at 🧭 NN 375231 – Sròn Garbh – An Caisteal – Bealach Buidhe – Beinn a’ Chroin – cross River Falloch at 🧭 NN 390203 – follow west bank until outward track regained – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Cows blocking the path at the very start; wheatears plus sheep and lambs in the glen.
Weather: Unbroken sunshine with a cool, gentle northerly breeze – perfect! 10°C at start and mid teens on return, but only just above freezing on the summits. Several snow patches higher up but none on the path.
May 2016
