Dave called: “We’re in Stirling for the week;
can you suggest a convenient Munro?” No
problem; how about Ben Vorlich and Stuc a’Chroin? This pair of fine Munros on the southern
fringe of the Highlands form distinctive shapes that are visible from many miles
around. The flat table-top of the Stuc contrasts well
with the shapely cone of Vorlich and the combination of the 2 profiles make the
hills easily recognisable from much of the southern Highlands and the Central
Belt of Scotland.
We set off from Ardvorlich on the southern
shore of Loch Earn in stunning summer weather – Dave, Graham and myself. Wee Towser also came along to see if there
was anything to this Munro game! Everything is looking so great in the Highlands at the moment
and we followed the convenient track up Glen Vorlich through green fields, fresh
bracken slopes and leafy woodland with the shapely curves of Ben Vorlich
invitingly ahead. A couple of small burn
crossings provided added interest, but no difficulty! A third one, encountered at the boundary of
the open hillside, is always worth a short stop to take in the
setting. A bridge removes any potential
difficulty with the crossing! It’s a
nice spot.
The clear and well-engineered path led
us across the open slopes and up the obvious ridge in front until the summit
cone appeared immediately above a short flat section. Ten minutes later and we were on the
delightful short summit ridge of Ben Vorlich (985m; hill of the bay).
Towser bagged his first Munro and eagerly shared his achievement with a
lady celebrating her birthday with chocolate biscuits by the trig point. It was photos all round and then a spot of lunch at the cairn at the other end of the summit ridge 100m SE of the trig point. We surveyed the wide vista from Ben Nevis, the Ben Lawers group, Schiehallion,
the Lomond hills of Fife, the distant Pentlands and most of the Central Belt
around to the Campsie Fells, Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps. Yes, it’s quite a view!
Stuc a'Chroin From Ben Vorlich
Now it’s perfectly feasible – some would say
sensible – to climb Ben Vorlich, enjoy the view, and then descend leisurely
back to the car having enjoyed a fine mountain day. However, the immediate presence of Stuc
a’Chroin right next door and just 2km across a grassy 700m bealach from Ben
Vorlich, makes the 2nd Munro just too tempting.
Ben Vorlich
So down we went, following the clear path
past the rusting fence posts to a slightly boggy Bealach an Dubh Choirein (pass of the black corrie). A couple of ring ouzels enhanced the scene - a rare sight these days! Once across, the steep rocky northern buttress
of Stuc a’Chroin towered above us. It’s
not that intimidating, or high, for that matter and a scratchy path to your
right makes for an entertaining scramble once across the boulder field at the
foot of the nose. Towser need lifting up on a couple of occasions but seemed quite unfussed about the whole experience. Once up the last greasy gully, the skyline is broached and a cairn marks the sudden end of the mountain's flat summit ridge. Those preferring to avoid the scramble can
take a gentler route up a path to the west of the buttress that avoids all the
rock.
Stuc a'Chroin - Summit Ridge
You may want to pause at this cairn, but the actual summit of the mountain is marked by another
cairn a further short, flat, ½km to the south – Stuc a’Chroin (975m;
peak of the sheepfold). Again, there
are great views in all directions and today, there was absolutely no rush to
leave!
When we did eventually decide to move on, we
took the other path, descending to the west of the northern buttress thereby avoiding the potentially
hazardous combination of steep cliffs and border terrier! Towser was most grateful. I think.
We were soon back down to the bealach and then traversed the wet, grassy
and ankle-twisting bogginess of the NW slopes of Ben Vorlich around into Coire Buidhe
until we re-joined our upward route and descended easily to Ardvorlich.
The Wee Man!
And that was our day – and very nice it was
too!
Just ask Towser……
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