After catching the bug again from hiking up Ben A’an, I turned my sights to Beinn Each & Stuc a’Chroin. There were a few of us attempting the Munro; Scoob, Boab, Gaz, Teej & Megan, it was a good laugh having a bigger group for a change. There are two routes to Stuc a’Chroin, one from Loch Lubnaig and one from Loch Earn. We opted for the Loch Lubnaig path that took us to Beinn Each and then on to Stuc a’Chroin. A few wrong turns and missing a sign post meant we ended up walking for about 6 miles before even thinking about climbing a hill! With fatigue setting in, we decided that we would settle for the Corbett, Beinn Each, and tackle Stuc a’ Chroin another day.
Beinn Each
Category – Corbett
Height – 813 metres (2,667 ft)
Location – Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park
Difficulty – Moderately Intense
Timing – 2 – 3 hours (if you follow the right path)
Rating – 6/10
Beinn Each is only a Corbett but it’s still a good hike. As I said above, there are two routes to take. To get to Beinn Each, follow the road from Callander, through Kilmahog and on towards Loch Lubnaig. About half way up Loch Lubnaig, there is a lay-by at Ardchullarie More, a small hamlet. Instead of following the track further up the road, the real path is just at the back of the lay-by. If you follow that path up through the forestry, you’ll come up to Glen Ample within an hour. Walk on for a little and there’s a sign post on the left at the base of the hill. We missed it, and nearly ended up walking to Loch Earn! There is another route from there but it adds quite a distance on to your journey. Once you reach the sign post, follow the small path up towards the hill to begin the climb.
The Climb
It might have just been my fitness but I found Beinn Each to be one of the toughest I’ve faced yet. There was a path but it involved a lot of stepping up on stones. The path leads up left then right. Zig- zagging up to the first of the summits. You then continue along a ridge until you see the rest of the mountain. The incline doesn’t get any easier, my thighs were burning the whole way up. There is another false summit or 2 but don’t be disheartened, you’re not too far away! Once you reach the actual summit, you see Stuc a’Chroin, you can continue further to climb the Munro. We opted not to due to fatigue but the option is there. As there are a number of larger mountains surrounding Beinn Each, the views aren’t spectacular. Although you can still look out onto Ben Ledi, Ben More, Ben Lawers and Stuc a’Chroin. After you’ve had your piece and rest, the descent begins. It doesn’t take long but it’s sore on the knees. Personally I found it easier leaving the zig-zag path and going straight on the softer grass. It wasn’t as bad on the knees but be careful for where you’re stepping. Once you reach the sign post at the bottom and the path levels out, you’re on the home-straight.
My Thoughts
I gave Beinn Each a 6/10, purely because the view isn’t the greatest. However, it still gives you the sense of accomplishment at the summit from the hard ascent. I thoroughly enjoyed the day out, especially now that my mates are getting into hill walking. Hopefully there will be a lot more in the coming weeks, if the weather stays good!
Thanks for reading!
Alzo
