📌 Crieff, Perth & Kinross
★★★
Ben Chonzie’s lumpy, undramatic profile is often ill-spoken of amongst walkers despite its accessible, southerly location. The hill is normally climbed from Glen Lednock: a short and straightforward route, but with few distinguishing features. Instead, consider this approach from Loch Turret Reservoir on the southeastern side for more visual interest; the approach around the reservoir is surrounded by craggy hillside which can be explored on the return route. The section beyond Lochan Uaine can be a bit of a mudbath – at least it’s only brief.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Càrn Chòis from the near the start 
Looking up Loch Turret Reservoir 
View back along the reservoir 
Ben Chonzie beyond the drumlins at the head of the reservoir 
Lochan Uaine & Loch Turret Reservoir from above 
Ben Chonzie summit shelter 
Loch Turret from the summit area 
Start of the descent to the southwest 
Looking north from the plateau 
Looking north from the plateau 
The descent route follows the “tourist path” at first, then forks left
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Loch Turret dam, minor road end 4 mi northwest of Crieff
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NN 821264
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.415509,-3.912472
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 17 km / 11 mi | ▲ 940 m | ⌛ 6-7 hr
Features: 💧 Loch Turret Reservoir; △ Ben Chonzie (931 m, Munro); △ Meall na Sèide (757 m); △ Càrn Chòis (786 m)
⬤ Tough | Good track to Lochan Uaine, then only intermittent paths to Ben Chonzie: boggy lower down with a steep section to the bealach. Faint paths with some wet sections to return to reservoir west bank, then track to finish.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start – track along Loch Turret Reservoir east bank – Lochan Uaine – Bealach na Gaoith – Ben Chonzie – Meall na Sèide via fenceline – Càrn Chòis – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: A few mountain hares on the high moorland. Lots of cows blocking the access road to the car park!
Weather: Mostly cloudy with occasional sunshine; higher up, breezy and only just above freezing.
June 2012
