Get Lost Mountaineering

Meall Buidhe & Sron a' Choire Chnapanich from Loch Lyon

Start/Finish

From Killin, drive along the north side of Loch Tay on the A827 for about 4 miles to Edramucky where a minor road goes left for Ben Lawers and the Bridge of Balgie. Follow this narrow road through the now cleared forest, which has greatly improved the views, over the high pass and down the other side to the Bridge of Balgie in Glen Lyon. The road is quite narrow with a few passing places and there are some exposed sections with drops off the road. Note that this road is not gritted so would be beyond normal cars in winter conditions. In this case, one would have to drive up Glen Lyon from Fortingall, well to the east, to reach the Bridge of Balgie. There used to be a shorter route from Glen Lochay but this is now impassable for cars on the Glen Lochay side. It is about 16 miles from Killin to the Bridge of Balgie and then another 11 miles west up Glen Lyon to reach the start just past the hamlet of Pubil where a rough track leads to a large modern barn and the start of the route. Park sensibly near the entrance to the rough track or go further and park nearer to the Loch Lyon Dam.

Distance/Time

13 km.       About 5 hours

Peaks

Meall Buidhe, 910 m (SMC, 907 on 1986 map), NN 427 449.

Sron a' Choire Chnapanaich, 837 m, NN 456 453.      OS Sheet 51.

Introduction

This is a tough but pleasant walk on mainly pathless terrain. Views are outstanding and include Meall Ghaordaidh, the hills around Loch Lyon, Stuchd an Lochain and even as far as Ben Nevis and Ben Alder. The views demand that this walk be undertaken in clear weather.

Route

(1) Walk along the track on the N side of Loch Lyon and climb to its first summit. Either leave the track before here and before the fence and pick a way up the grassy SE ridge of Meall Phubuill or go about 100 m past the track summit and take a faint path on the right. Pick a way up some steep grass to reach the crest of the SE ridge. Follow the ridge NW to reach the summit plateau of Meall Phubuill where there are two cairns about 100 m apart which are of about equal height. Descend WNW down grassy slopes to the col at the head of the Feith Thalain. The Eas nan Aighean burn will be on the left and ahead. Continue and cross this burn then ascend easy grassy slopes up the SSE ridge of Meall Buidhe. The summit area is a fairly stony plateau and the medium cairn marks the summit of Meall Buidhe, 910 m. There is another lower summit cairn a little further on.

(2) Descend easy grassy ground NNE to gain a broad grassy ridge which goes SE. A fence soon joins the crest and this goes past two moorland lochans and descends to the bealach between Meall Buidhe and Meall Phubuill which was passed through earlier. Follow the Feith Thalain down NE, crossing to the SE side as soon as possible. Contour until the NE ridge of Meall Phubuill is met then follow this down to the broad bealach between Meall Phubuill and Sron a' Choire Chnapanaich. The bealach is peaty but not too bad. Ascend grassy slopes NE, aiming for a fence coming in from the right. This can be followed until it seems to be passing the top to the N when one can leave it and just walk uphill in a NE direction. The fence actually changes direction and crosses the crest on the S side of the summit. A small cairn marks the summit of Sron a' Choire Chnapanaich, 837 m.

(3) Descend S, following the old fence but leave it when it starts to drift left towards the peaty bealach with Meall an Odhar. Continue S but stay above the river where the ground is better. Eventually reach a small dam on the river, Allt Phubuill, where a rough track goes left, soon meeting a better track which zig-zags down to Pubil and a short walk up the Glen Lyon road back to the start.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 4^th April, 2005, and 19^th April, 2014.