Get Lost Mountaineering

Ben Vorlich & Stuc a’ Chroinn from Ardvorlich

Start/Finish

Ardvorlich East gate about 5 km of A84 on the South Loch Earn road which leaves the A84 about 1 km S of Lochearnhead. Park on the wide verges just before the stone bridge.

Distance/Time

17 km     Approx 6 hours

Peaks

Ben Vorlich, 985 m, NN 629 189.

Stuc a’ Chroinn, 975 m, NN 617 174. OS sheets 51 & 57.

Introduction

This is one of the classic walks in the Southern Highlands over two very fine mountains. The views include the Crianlarich hills, the Ben Lawers range, Ben Chonzie, Ben Ledi and Benvane.

Route

(1) Walk S up the obvious track from the stone bridge. There are some helpful signs. The track zig-zags S and, higher up, becomes a good path which goes under the N ridge of Ben Vorlich on its W side before climbing up on to the ridge proper and continuing to the summit trig point of Ben Vorlich, 985 m. About 100 m SE is a large cairn on a slightly lower top.

(2) Descend the SSW ridge, on an obvious path, following a line of old fence posts. Note that there is also another line of fence posts down the SE ridge beyond the lower of the two summit cairns. Reach the Bealach an Dubh Choirein and ascend slightly to reach the boulder field at the foot of Stuc a’ Chroinn’s steep and rocky NNE ridge. This is very rocky on the left and more grassy on the right. Leave the path and head up towards the grass just to the right of the rocky left side. Once through the short boulder field, a path should be found which winds its way through the outcrops on the grassy side. The path offers several choices in its ascent but generally, the right options are easier than the left options. There is a cairn on the top of the rocky ridge from where an obvious path, still following the fence posts, leads down into a shallow dip then ascends gently to reach the large summit cairn of Stuc a’ Chroinn, 975 m. There are two alternative ascents which avoid the rocky ridge. Either stay on the path which goes left around the bottom of the boulder field then climbs steeply to reach a cairn on the summit ridge or go right before the boulder field, aiming for a path which climbs easy grassy slopes on to the NW ridge of Stuc a’ Chroinn. Walk SE along this ridge to reach the summit ridge.

(3) Retrace, by one of the three routes to the Bealach an Dubh Choirein and follow the path going off left which skirts under the NW ridge of Ben Vorlich before crossing that ridge then skirting around the NW corrie of Ben Vorlich to rejoin the outward route roughly where it climbed up on to the N ridge of Ben Vorlich. Note that the path from the bealach is wet and boggy in places, even in a dry spell!

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 24^th October, 1994, 3^rd April, 2005 and 30^th May, 2010.