📌 Lochawe, Argyll & Bute
★★★★
Ben Cruachan is a magnificent massif: a complex mass of ridges and coires covering a huge area north of Loch Awe. Electricity pylons from Cruachan Power Station do little to detract from this magnificent, rough horseshoe walk, taking in two Munros as well as several other minor summits. Ben Cruachan is the highest of the ring of peaks, but the superb views begin almost at the car park. Arran, Jura and Mull are the normal highlights of the western panorama, but on a clear day it’s theoretically possible to see as far as Northern Ireland and Galloway, nearly 100 miles away.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Loch Awe from the initial ascent 
Pass of Brander 
Approach to Cruachan Reservoir 
Cruachan Reservoir 
Approach to Coire Dearg 
Waterfall below Coire Dearg 
View west from the south ridge of Ben Cruachan 
Ben Cruachan summit, looking west 
Stob Dearg from the summit 
Loch Etive from the summit 
Cruachan Reservoir & Loch Awe from the summit 
Ridge beyond Ben Cruachan 
The ridge involves crossing potentially slippery slabs at one point (possible bypass below to right) 
Ben Cruachan from Drochaid Ghlas 
Stob Daimh, looking south down Loch Awe 
Stormy weather over Beinn a’ Chochuill 
Shower over Dalmally 
Looking back to Ben Cruachan 
Cruachan Reservoir & Loch Awe from the descent 
Approaching the Lairig Toran
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on the A85 at Falls of Cruachan railway station
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NN 080268
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.393559,-5.111499
🚆 Falls of Cruachan | 🚌 Cruachan Power Station
🚗 Layby (gets full – further space 0.5 mi to west)
📝 Key info
▶ 14 km / 9 mi | ▲ 1380 m | ⌛ 7.5-8.5 hr
Features: 💧 Cruachan Reservoir; △ Ben Cruachan (1126 m, Munro); △ Drochaid Ghlas (1009 m); △ Stob Daimh (998 m, Munro); △ Stob Garbh (980 m)
⬤ Tough | Largely rough, steep hill paths, with hands briefly required on descent from Ben Cruachan. Sloping rock slab soon after could be problematic if wet, but can be bypassed lower down to right hand side. West side of reservoir has a good track, but path on the east side is boggy. Brief pathless section descending Lairig Torran, & boulderfields on Ben Cruachan.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Cruachan Reservoir dam – west side of reservoir – Bealach an Lochain – Ben Cruachan – Drochaid Ghlas – Stob Daimh – Stob Garbh – Lairig Torran – east side of reservoir – reservoir dam – return by outward route
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Frogs and lizards lower down, sheep higher up.
Weather: Sunshine and scattered clouds, with heavy showers on all sides never reaching us. A little temporary low cloud at Ben Cruachan summit. Fairly light breeze, probably about 10°C on the ridge. Coires still holding snow patches.
July 2015
