📌 Loch Earn, Perth & Kinross
★★★★
Look north from Stirling and much of central Scotland and two great hulks dominate the view: the armadillo-like arc of Ben Vorlich on the right (not to be confused with Ben Vorlich above Loch Lomond), and the sprawling mass of Stùc a’ Chroin just to the left. Excellent tracks through Glen Vorlich and an immaculate path along a broad north ridge make Ben Vorlich a popular and relatively straightforward ascent from Loch Earn, with sweeping views north from the summit cairns on a clear day. The extension to Stùc a’ Chroin is a different beast, involving a little scrambling on rocky ground where the path isn’t always clear. Successfully negotiating this unlocks an equally fine panorama to the south, and the chance to get acquainted with monotonous bogs on the alternative return route. If you don’t like that sort of thing, you have to head back over Ben Vorlich again…
📷 Chronological photo guide
Loch Earn, at the start 
Loch Earn & Ardvorlich House 
Ben Vorlich 
Looking back to Loch Earn 
Paths are largely excellent on ascent 
Looking back 
Upper slopes of Ben Vorlich 
Ben Vorlich summit area (trig point is highest) 
Looking back over the ascent route 
Gleann an Dubh Choirein 
East across Coire Fhuadaraich 
Stùc a’ Chroin 
Route to Stùc a’ Chroin from Ben Vorlich 
View back to Ben Vorlich from the bealach with Stùc a’ Chroin 
Steep prow of Stùc a’ Chroin: the path climbs diagonally left to right above the boulders, then becomes a braided scramble 
View back to Ben Vorlich from the top of the scramble 
Stùc a’ Chroin summit 
View back over the approach to Stùc a’ Chroin 
View south over Lochan a’ Chroin and Beinn Each 
Return route, avoiding scrambling 
View from the boggy return
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish just east of bridge over Ardvorlich Burn, minor road along south bank of Loch Earn
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NN 633232
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.381363,-4.216192
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Informal laybys
📝 Key info
▶ 15 km / 9 mi | ▲ 1150 m | ⌛ 6-7 hr
Features: 💧 Loch Earn ★★★; △ Ben Vorlich (985 m, Munro); △ Stùc a’ Chroin (975 m, Munro)
⬤ Tough | Good track (small burns to ford) and path to Ben Vorlich, steep only at top. Rougher paths beyond: steep ascent to Stùc a’ Chroin with some tricky route finding (see photos) and fairly easy scrambling. Boggy return, with one steep and eroded section.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise lollipop circuit with minor extensions to summits: start & Loch Earn – track on east bank of Ardvorlich Burn – Ardvorlich House – Ben Vorlich by north ridge – Stùc a’ Chroin – leave northwest ridge at 🧭 NN 616181 – path traversing west slopes of Ben Vorlich – rejoin outward route at 🧭 NN 630205 – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Sheep on the open hill.
Weather: Sunny intervals, but cloudier from early afternoon with a brief rain shower on Stùc a’ Chroin.
August 2017
