Beinn a' Chreachain and Beinn Achaladair Route Information

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Beinn a' Chreachain & Beinn Achaladair

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

1450 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

6.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

17.69 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 (£13.49 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

Relatively long route but easy ascent on moderate heather and grass slopes plus good summit ridge walks.

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 N 16km to a private road to Achallader Farm.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,450 metres. Allow 6.5 hours to complete this 17.69 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 at Achallader Farm
		NN32104426	Distance	Altitude 180 m

1	Head SSE to bridge over railway
		NN32294366	Distance 0.76 km	Altitude 240 m

2	Follow Allt Coire Achaladair SSE to col (755m) at the head of Coire Daingean
		NN34014056	Distance 3.67 km	Altitude 755 m

3	Ascend NE turning N to the south top of Beinn Achaladair
		NN34234204	Distance 1.60 km	Altitude 1002 m

4	Follow ridge N turning NE to summit of Beinn Achaladair
		NN34454320	Distance 1.27 km	Altitude 1038 m

5	Descend E turning NE to col (813m)
		NN35334344	Distance 1.00 km	Altitude 831 m

6	Ascend NE to summit of Meall Buidhe
		NN35964383	Distance 0.78 km	Altitude 978 m

7	Follow ridge NE to coire rim, turning ESE to Beinn a' Chreachain
		NN37394404	Distance 1.67 km	Altitude 1081 m

8	Return N to coire rim then head NE on ridge until clear of crags
		NN37634465	Distance 0.76 km	Altitude 940 m

9	Descend WNW into Cranach Wood to locate rail bridge
		NN34944545	Distance 2.93 km	Altitude 290 m

10	Bear WSW to join track by bridge over river
		NN33814521	Distance 1.17 km	Altitude 190 m

11	Continue WSW on track to return to Achallader
		NN32104426	Distance 2.08 km	Altitude 180 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

West Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)

West Highlands
by Met Office

Ben Oss
by Metcheck

Images of Beinn a' Chreachain & Beinn Achaladair

View before the summit of Beinn a Chreachain.

Image by Steve Marlow

Beinn a'Chreachain & Loch Lyon from Beinn Achaladair.

Image by Peter Chisholm

Beinn Achaladair from the popular viewing layby on the main Tyndrum - Glencoe road.

Image by Pete Etheridge

Cornice at the top of Beinn Achaladair's North Ridge. Feb '07

Image by Allan Donald

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

We currently have no
sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

Rating & Reviews

Rating & Reviews

Rated:

from 8 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by John Gilchrist on 27 May 2009:

Have to concur with the clockwise lobby. The walk in is truly delightful with extraordinary views of the hills. Fair number of water courses to be crossed it has to be agreed; but no less than you will face going up the coire in the anticlockwise route. Big day, though, and an easy 7 - 8 hour trip.

Written by Michael Corson on 01 Oct 2006:

Good circular route but would need to be going some to complete in 6.5 hrs. Our group took 8.45!! and we thought we were fit! Walked in and out of clouds with tantalising glimpses of tremendous views available from these mountains.If doing clockwise, after 400yds need to cross an unbridged burn, so wet feet early on!! ( we chickened out an walked anticlockwise!!)

Written by Ian Munro on 21 Aug 2005:

We went around this pair clockwise, which we think is definitely the better way. The walk up to Creachain beside the Crannach Woods is absolutely lovely and time passes quickly on the slog up to the ridge east of the first top. The views were outstanding in all directions on the great day that we enjoyed - from the Lomond Hillls to the Ben. There is an interesting steep ascent up to Beinn Achaladair, which is indeed a marvellous viewpoint. The only dull section was the walk down beside the Allt Coire Achaladair, which was very boggy even after prolonged dry weather. The circuit took us 9 hours

Written by Craig Dunderdale on 07 Jun 2005:

Go East my son! I went east following the very good but winding forest path and then up Chreachain first. I did this in 6.5hrs and really enjoyed it. I wavered over doing Dothaidh and Dorain but decided against it. The honest truth is in summer hours and feeling okay DO THEM and get a taxi back to the farm it would be a long day out but well worth it.

Written by Neil Campbell on 05 Mar 2005:

A very enjoyable route with excellent views - the foopath crosses the railway and now runs parallel to the railway now, there's a lot of new deer fences but the stiles are there. I took about 8 hours with a few short stops for putting crampons off/on. views are superb!

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.

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