Members can control adverts, create their own log,
& contribute to the site for just £10 per year.
Would you like to know more about membership?
Home   Glossary
Ben Lui & Beinn a' Chleibh
Quick Facts
This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.
Total Ascent
1400 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time
7.5 hrs
The horizontal distance of the route.
Route Distance
24.08 km
 

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required
  50   Glen Orchy & Loch Etive
Only £6.29  (£11.69 Laminated) from  

A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

 Notes
This is the best route to Ben Lui the ascent from Coire Gaothach is steep but not difficult, however, Stob Garbh is difficult when there is ice on the tops.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

 Travel Information

Head to: Tyndrum

From Tyndrum (A82) travel E 2 km to a car park at junction with minor road to Lochan nan Arm at the entrance to Glen Cononish.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,400 metres. Allow 7.5 hours to complete this 24.08 km route.

In winter months please check the local snow conditions at sais.gov.uk.

The hillphones service can inform you of stalking activities in the area.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

 Route Information
Waypoint Detail
  Start from carpark (not visible from main road)
  NN34362915 Distance
Altitude
190 m
1
Head W on rough road past Dalrigh
NN33252882 Distance
1.25 km
Altitude
215 m
2
Pass under rail bridge and continue W to Cononish Farm
NN30112847 Distance
3.38 km
Altitude
287 m
3
Follow track WSW to its termination above Allt an Rund
NN28162741 Distance
2.31 km
Altitude
365 m
4
Descend to cross river (no bridge) and ascend SW into Coire Gaothach
NN27202676 Distance
1.20 km
Altitude
700 m
5
Ascend NW onto Stob Garbh, the north ridge of Ben Lui (very icy in winter)
NN26922699 Distance
0.43 km
Altitude
780 m
6
Follow ridge SW
NN26552679 Distance
0.43 km
Altitude
947 m
7
Continue S to reach summit of Ben Lui
NN26622628 Distance
0.89 km
Altitude
1130 m
8
Descend WSW to col linking to east ridge of Beinn a'Chleibh and ascend to summit
NN25052559 Distance
1.77 km
Altitude
916 m
9
Return E to col
NN25812592 Distance
0.87 km
Altitude
800 m
10
Follow 800m contour SE to south ridge of Ben Lui
NN27022516 Distance
1.48 km
Altitude
820 m
11
Cross ridge into Coire Laoigh. Head NNE to join approach road and return
  NN34362915 Distance
10.08 km
Altitude
190 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

 Weather
West Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)
Ben Lomond
by Accuweather
West Highlands
by Met Office
Ben Lui
by Metcheck
Images of Ben Lui & Beinn a' Chleibh
Route Area Map
Legend  Munro  Corbett  Graham  English/Welsh Top  Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

 Where to Stay
Results by distance from the route start.
620 m
Aros Beag
Tyndrum
1.9 km
Glengarry House
Tyndrum
3.9 km
West Highland Lodge
Crianlarich, Perthshire
5.5 km
The Crianlarich Hotel
Crianlarich
14.5 km
Suie Lodge Hotel
Glendochart, nr. Crianlarich
18.5 km
Craigroyston
Dalmally, Dalmally
23.3 km
CRAIGBUIE Guest House
Main Street, Killin
24.4 km
Leitters Farm
Balquhidder Station, by Lochearnhead
24.9 km
Rosebank House
Main Street, Strathyre, Perthshire
25.1 km
Rowantree Cottage, Bed and Breakfast
Arrochar
25.2 km
Rowantreebank B&B
Main Street, Arrochar, G83 7AA
25.8 km
Clachan Cottage Hotel
Lochside, Lochearnhead
26.1 km
Burnbrae B & B
Shore Road Arrochar
30.0 km
Rowardennan Hotel
Rowardennan, Loch Lomond
31.2 km
Roineabhal Country House
Kilchrenan Taynuilt Argyll
31.3 km
Inverbeg Holiday Park
Inverbeg Holiday Park, By Luss, Loch Lomond, Argyll
35.4 km
Achray House Hotel & Lodges
On Loch Earn, St Fillans, Perthshire
39.1 km
STRATHASSYNT GUEST HOUSE
Loanfern, Ballachulish, NR. Glencoe, Highlands.
40.9 km
The Old School
Dalavich, Taynuilt, Argyll & Bute
43.6 km
Fortingall Hotel
Fortingall, by Aberfeldy, PH15 2NQ
46.8 km
Birchbrae Luxury Self Catering Lodges
Birchbrae, Onich, Fort William
50.1 km
Highland Perthshire Lodges
Glenoulandie, Foss by Pitlochry, Perthshire
50.6 km
Glenaladale House B&B
Achintore Road. Fort William
50.6 km
Ashburn Guest House
Achintore Road, Fort William
50.7 km
Stobhan
Fassifern Road, Fort William
50.8 km
Farr Cottage Lodge and Activity Centre
Corpach, Fort William
51.2 km
Old School House, Tulloch (Rushyglen Ltd)
Tulloch, Roybridge
51.2 km
Torr an Daimh, Tulloch (Rushyglen Ltd)
Tulloch, Roybridge
52.2 km
Àite Cruinnichidh
1 Achluachrach, By Roy Bridge, Near Fort William, Inverness-shire
52.3 km
Dunhafen Bed and Breakfast
Glenspean Park, Roy Bridge, Inverness-Shire
53.8 km
Spean Bridge Hotel
Spean Bridge, Inverness-shire
53.9 km
Inverour Guest House
Roybridge Road, Spean Bridge
54.4 km
Seangan Croft Self Catering
Seangan Bridge Banavie Fort William Scotland
55.6 km
Glenloy Lodge
Muirshearlich, by Banavie, Fort William
57.6 km
Glencaig self catering holiday cottage
No 6 Stronaba, Spean Bridge
70.6 km
The Rumblie Guest House
The Rumblie, Gergask Avenue, Laggan, By Newtonmore
70.9 km
Laggan Hotel
Laggan, Newtonmore
71.8 km
Invergarry Lodge
Mandally Road, Invergarry
71.9 km
Crubenbeg House
Falls of Truim, Newtonmore,
72.1 km
Ardgarry Farm
Faichem, Invergarry, Inverness-shire
73.7 km
Drynachan Bed and Breakfast
Invergarry, Inverness-shire
78.1 km
Seaview Cottage
Salen, Aros, Isle of Mull
78.8 km
Eagle View Guest House
Perth Road Newtonmore
79.2 km
Craigerne House Hotel and Beautiful Mountain Coffee Shop
Golf Course Road
79.2 km
Netherwood House
Glen Road, Newtonmore
80.1 km
Croft Holidays
Croft Dhu, Newtonmore
81.7 km
Pennyghael Hotel
Pennyghael, Isle of Mull, Argyll & Bute
87.3 km
Skiary
Skiary, Loch Hourn, By Invergarry, Highlands and Islands
96.9 km
Tomich Hotel
Tommich, Cannich, Nr Beauly
97.8 km
Tomich Holidays
Guisachan Farm, Tomich, Cannich, By Beauly
98.4 km
Woodlands (self-catering)
by Shiel Bridge, Inverness-shire
For information on camping visit
ScottishCamping.com who also produce
a map of scottish camp grounds.
A mobile base fo your next Munro?
Fantastic, heated, 2-4 berth campervans for hire
http://www.bigtreecampervans.com
  Like the idea of a more mobile base for your next Munro?
Fantastic, high quality, heated, 2-4 berth campervans for hire. The perfect year-round base, freedom to choose where you go to get the most from the weather, and a cosy base to come back to after a great day on the hill!

Rating & Reviews

 Rating & Reviews
Rated:
 from 10 votes
Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating
Written by Michael Corson on 29 Apr 2007:
Climbed on a perfect April day with not a cloud in the sky. Used two cars and approached from Glen Cononish, which is the best route to see the mountain , then took in Beinn a'Chleibh and continued down to the car park on the A85. This route only took 6hrs including a long lunch stop and I would recommend this rather than the long walk back along the Glen Cononish track.
 
Written by Archie Mcwatt on 16 Oct 2006:
Thic circuit took me 7 hours start to finish, mainly due to mountain biking it in from Dalrigh to river crossing, which saved a good bit of time, the road was pretty good for my (non suspension) bike, althought the going was a bit bumpy after Cononish farm. The first view I got of Ben Lui was on leaving Dalrigh when the peak was quite prominent poking through a shroud of mist, the next I saw it was about 30 metres from the summit. The walk down to the Col and up to Ben Chleibh was quite straight forward as was the route back to the river crossing. Overall a very memorable and enjoyable day!!
 
Written by Chris Bowles on 11 Jul 2005:
Great Hill, climbed from Dalrigh up Coire Gaothaich before going on to Beinn a' Chleibh and then returning over Oss and Dhubhcraig. Very long day, about 11 hours, magnificent views, great day if you feel up to it.
 
Written by Graham Butcher on 12 Mar 2004:
Climbed up Ben Lui's Central Gully on snow & ice, brilliant. To return to Glen Cononish from Beinn a' Chleibh I would recommend dropping down to the bealach & contouring round to the head of the valley, especially with snow & ice on the mountain.
 
Written by Ian Winter on 09 Sep 2003:
Took the route via the private road up Glen Cononish. On the return, crossing the north-west shoulder of Ben Lui , to follow the watercourse of the Allt an Rund the track petered out and left me high on the mountain side above cliffs. Careful navigation through crags was required which took quite a while to work my way back down and onto the private road. Thoroughly enjoyed the day out though.
 
Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.
|