The Ben Cruachan range and Beinn a' Chocuill seen from Beinn Eunaich

Beinn a' Chleibh, Ben Lui, Ben Oss, Beinn Dubhchraig & Beinn Chuirn
Ben Lui is a classic mountain. Many regard it as the finest summit in the Southern Highlands and it's not difficult to understand why if you see it from Glen Cononish. It's a mountain with twin tops each of which have ridges that arc round Coire Gaothaich. These two ridges are the best and most exciting routes on and off this mountain.

Blue snow on Ben Lui and Ben Oss seen from Beinn Chabhar

Ben Dubhchraig, Ben Lui and Beinn Chiurn seen from Ben Chalum

Ben Oss seen from Glen Cononish
 

The ascent up the back of the mountain avoids all difficulty - but also avoids the best scenery and has been likened to an ascent of Ben Nevis via the tourist track. It does, however, provide easy access to the summit of Beinn a' Chleibh. The map marks a conifer forest barring access from Glen Lochy - though there is a good track going up a forest break to reach the open ground in Fion Coire.

Ben Lui and Ben Oss seen from Ben Dubhcraig

Beinn a' Chleibh seen from the slopes of Ben Lui

The summits of Ben Oss and Beinn Dubcraig are quite broad summits with numerous craggy bluffs which can be linked easily with Ben Lui. The desent to the saddle separating Ben Lui with these two munros is a long steady descent of 400m making Ben Lui a rather isolated mountain. The southern slopes of all these munros drops out to a vast empty expanse of moorland.

Beinn Chuirn is regarded as the twin of Ben Lui - and not without reason as it also throws out an impressive eastern corrie. This summit makes an easy walk that's best approached via the River Cononish. The walk tackles the southern slopes that can require precise navigation skills in misty weather as there is a large, gentle plateau halfway up.

The Cruachan Horseshoe & Beinn Eunaich
The Ben Cruachan range is found on the A85 half way between Tyndrum and Oban. It's well worth trying for it has one of the most graceful ridges south of Glen Coe - a serious threat to Ben Lui for "most beautiful mountain in the southern highlands". The ridge is rocky and near the summit of Ben Cruachan itself, it's quite narrow. It overlooks some vast drops to the north and is a good viewpoint for the Glen Coe peaks and the coast.

Ben Cruachan - seen from the east

Beinn Eunaich seen from the slopes of Stob Diamh

Stob Diamh seen on the main ridge to Ben Cruachan

The ridge forms a horseshoe around the Cruachan Reservoir starting in the east with the Corbett Beinn a' Bhuiridh. This mountain has a nice shapely ridge but it's ridge is perpendicular to the direction of the continueing horshoe. A steep descent down the summit's north face slightly west of the Saddle with the next munro, Stob Diamph takes you on to the continuous ridge that continues round to Ben Cruachan.

Looking east towards Stob Diamh from Ben Cruachan;

Looking west to Ben Cruachan's western top

Looking north to Glen Kinglass from Beinn a' Chocuill

The ridge up the eastern side of the horseshoe is mostly grassy but sometimes rocky and seldom narrow. The northward view gradually reveals itself as you advance closer to the next summit of Stob Diamh. The next part of the ridge is the most dramatic, most of the route is very rocky or bouldery but mostly easy. However a few obstacles present themselves on the final ascent to Ben Cruachan. First there is a 'bad step'. A smooth slab of granite slopes away to the soth making for interesting friction work to get round to easier ground. Finally just before the summit, the ridge narrows dramatically making for a pleasant, short scramble to the summit of Ben Cruachan.

Beinn Sgulaird seen from Glen Noe at Dusk

The next munros of Beinn a' Chochiull and Beinn Eunaich can probably got to from the Cruacan range. Several interesting northern ridges present themselves radiating from the main ridge. The routes probably all present difficulties and intricatcies but the easiest route is to take a long westward diversion before descending into Glen Noe. I went over to Ben Cruachans western top - a mostly easy ridge exept for another granite slabby step. From there I crossed over to a much smaller summit called Meall nan Each via an initial southerly diversion to avoid cliffs. From Meall nan Each a stream can be followed intricately down to the All Garbh and Glen Noe.

Ben Cruachan and it's western tops seen from the other side of Glen Noe

Looking northeast from Beinn Eunaich to the Bridge of Orchy Hills

The ridge linking Beinn Eunaich with Beinn a' Chochuill is far easier than the Cruachan ridge without the persistant rockiness. Whilst its southern flanks are smooth and grassy, both summits boast impressive northern corries and best yet, superb views of the Ben Cruachan range. I took a photo panoramic (top of page) from Ben Eunaich looking over this vista. It was quite breathtaking and really shows the beauty that these mountain ranges offer.

Looking along the ridge from Beinn a' Chochuil to Beinn Eunaich

Looking north to Loch Etive and Ben Starav

The Eastern Corries of Stob Diamh seen from Castles Farm near Loch Awe

Bheinn Bhreac-Lith & Beinn Udlaidh
These are two Corbetts just west of Tyndrum that make an easy walk offering unique views of the surrounding mountains. Because of forests, access is limited, but a way through the forest can be found from the south at Arinabea lodge to the saddle between the two Corbetts. From the lodge follow a stream in a tree break up to a point where a horizontal break can be followed right towards a much wider tree break where a signicant stream flows down. The way up from here to the saddle is straightforward. The summit of Bheinn Bhreac-Lith is quite rounded, with few crags and a small summit plateau. Beinn Udlaidh has some nice corries - Coire Daimh and Coire Ghamhnain.