Hill: Stob na Cruaiche
Date: Sunday 6th October 2013
Company: Just myself
Distance: 14.8km, Ascent: 600m
Time: 4Hrs 30Mins
On Sunday, I drove from my base at Kinloch Rannoch to Rannoch Station for an ascent of Stob na Cruaiche. I parked in the Rannoch Station car park.
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
From the car park, I took the signposted Public path to Glencoe via Loch Laidon.
Rannoch Station:
Signpost at Rannoch Station:
I then crossed the Private Level Crossing stopping for a few seconds to take a photo whilst standing on the railway line looking in the direction of Bridge of Orchy.
Standing on the West Highland line (at level crossing):
Beyond the level crossing I followed the Public path for circa 0.5km until reaching a large wooden gate with a track leading into the forest. While on the Public path I stopped to take a photo of the Rannoch Station viaduct.
Rannoch Station viaduct:
Track into the forest:
It didn’t take long to walk up through the forest reaching the open hillside beyond.
Beyond the forest, looking towards Meall Liath na Doire:
I followed the good quality track for circa 800m and beyond that fairly wet vehicle tracks leading up to the summit of Meall Liath na Doire.
Looking back:
Vehicle track ascending Meall Liath na Doire:
Rannoch Station from Meall Liath na Doire (zoom):
Looking back:
At the top of Meall Liath na Doire I left the vehicle tracks to commence a long slog across rough, pathless, wet terrain. The walk from Meall Liath na Doire to the 638m top was not particularly pleasant.
Looking towards 638m top:
Looking back towards Meall Liath na Doire:
The next photo shows the pathless terrain that has to be crossed.
Looking back towards Meall Liath na Doire:
I was fairly surprised to come across two memorial plaques built into cairns on the 638m hill. I am not a fan of memorials being constructed on hills, especially if the memorials are not signifying a burial there. These memorials looked really out of place on the hill.
Memorial cairns with Stob na Cruaiche in background:
From the memorial cairns I continued on towards the 613m top and beyond towards Stob na Cruaiche.
Looking towards Stob na Cruaiche:
Circa 0.5km from the summit of Stob na Cruaiche I was surprised to find a vehicle track ascending to the summit of Stob na Cruaiche. I decided to make use of this track following it to the summit.
Track ascending Stob na Cruaiche:
Looking back towards Meall Liath na Doire:
Loch Laidon from Stob na Cruaiche:
The summit of this hill would be an outstanding viewpoint on a blue sky day. This was not however a blue sky day
. Despite the hill terrain being fairly unpleasant, I quite fancy coming back to re-do this hill on a better day.
Approaching the summit of Stob na Cruaiche:
I spent circa five minutes at the summit taking photos before heading back.
Summit cairn and trig point of Stob na Cruaiche:
Blackwater reservoir:
Poor view of Buachaille Etive Mor:
Loch Laidon from the summit of Stob na Cruaiche:
Looking down on the trig point from atop the summit cairn:
From the summit, I decided to follow the vehicle track for as long as it was taking me in the right direction. It was definitely worth following this track as it led back down through the forest onto the Rannoch Station to Glencoe Public path.
If you want to avoid having to cross miles of trackless terrain, you could take this vehicle track all the way to the summit and back.
Loch Laidon and Loch Eigheach:
Track descending into the forest:
Track descending into the forest:
The next photo shows the start of the vehicle track that leads all the way to the summit of Stob na Cruaiche. The walk back along the Public path was pleasant.
It would be nice to walk from Rannoch Station to Glencoe via this track sometime in the future.
Onto the track between the Kingshouse and Rannoch Station:
Walking through the forest:
A Fly Agaric toadstool provided a brilliant splash of colour on what was a generally dull day.
Fly Agaric:
Back at Rannoch Station:
A good day out despite the disappointing views.