📌 Glen Creran, Argyll & Bute
★★★★
Beinn Sgulaird guards the head of Loch Creran in the West Highlands; although part of the same mass of high ground making up Glen Coe and the Black Mount, its westerly access point tends to keep the crowds away. The hill’s name probably translates as hat-shaped summit, but if so, it must be an elaborate one; there are several other summits to cross while negotiating the long approach ridge, with the true top rising intimidatingly beyond the last one, Meall Garbh. Nevertheless, we’re happy to doff our caps in appreciation of the spectacular views of azure lochs and lofty peaks throughout the hike – unless those peaks are wearing hats of their own, of course.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Loch Creran is well seen from the initial climb 
Approaching the 488m minor summit 
Glen Creran 
View back to the 488m summit 
Middle part of the ridge 
Looking south to Loch Etive 
View back along the ridge 
The three main 800m+ summits 
Lochan below the first sumit 
First summit 
Loch Etive from the first of the summits 
Beinn Sgulaird from the second summit, Meall Garbh 
Upper Glen Ure 
Beinn Sgulaird 
Boulderfield section 
Looking back over the preceding summits 
Glen Creran from the final ascent 
Beinn Sgulaird summit 
View east up Glen Etive from the summit 
Descent towards the Allt Buidhe 
Track above the Allt Buidhe
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Drumnavuic, minor road near head of Loch Creran
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NN 009451
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.555684,-5.241143
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Layby
📝 Key info
▶ 13 km / 8 mi | ▲ 1240 m | ⌛ 6-7 hr
Features: △ Beinn Sgulaird (937 m, Munro)
⬤ Tough | Track at first then paths for almost all of ascent. Some steep / rocky sections, with boulderfields near the top where there is no clear path. Hands briefly required in one or two spots. Alternative route near end of descent only has a faint / intermittent path until track is joined.
Download file for GPS➡️ Out-and-back walk with option to vary part of the return: start – path leaves track at 🧭 NN 014446 – 488m minor summit – Meall Garbh – Beinn Sgulaird – return to bealach immediately east of 488m summit – descend south to join track – start via track
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Sheep headbutting each other on Meall Garbh. Buzzards, crows.
Weather: Often sunny with some large clouds (Munro snow flurries forecast). Fairly light northerly wind, a few degrees above freezing on the summit.
June 2021
