   |
An Caisteal and Beinn
a'Chroin |
  |
 |
Country: Scotland. |
 |
Location: Glen Falloch |
 |
Accommodation: Hotel, B&B and
Youth Hostel at Crianlarich. |
 |
Transport: There is a railway station at
Crianlarich. |
 |
Maps: OS Sheet 50 (Glen Orchy) |
 |
Trip Date: 7 June 1993 |
 |
Introduction |
There are four good Munros standing around the headwaters of the River
Falloch. The two southern ones are An Caisteal (the castle, 995m) and Beinn
a'Chroin (hill of harm or danger, 941m). The best view of these rugged peaks is
from the head of Glen Falloch - follow the West
Highland Way until it crosses a deer fence on an enormous stile and then
climb up the hill to the north and look back over the head of the glen. An
Caisteal has a well-defined summit at the junction of its northern and
north-west ridges both of which can be used as access routes. The northern
ridge (known as Twistin Hill - note the missing 'g') is the usual route taken.
Beinn a'Chroin has a long flat summit ridge with the West Top over a steep col
from An Caisteal and the East Top a kilometre to the east.
 |
Route |
Start at the carpark in Glen Falloch next to the obvious bend in the
river. This is an easy 2 kilometre walk from Crianlarich along the A82 road.
Take the landrover track from the carpark, under the railway line and over a
bridge to gain the south-west banks of the river. To head for An Caisteal
first, leave the track after about a kilometre (just beyond the end of the
forest on the northern banks) for a climb south up steepening grass slopes.
There is no path so just aim for the distinct knoll of Sron Gharbh.
 |
| Mr. Ian Fisk on An Caisteal. Beinn
a'Chroin is the peak on the right (the East Top touches the clouds on the
left). |
Head SE through the grass to cross over the top of the knoll (at 708m)
and gain a distinct path along the Twistin Hill ridge. The path is level for a
while and then climbs past a curious cleft in the ridge and over a rocky knob
to reach the summit of An Caisteal at 995m. There is a fairly big, disorganised
cairn here. The climb should take about 2.5 hours from the carpark.
To continue to Beinn a'Chroin, drop down the ridge to the south of the
summit. This is grassy to start with but a path lower down winds through rocky
outcrops. There does not seem any way forward from the col up the vertical
north-west end of Beinn a'Chroin at first glance. However a path (faint at
first) climbs to the left and then zigzags to the right in order to avoid the
worst of the crags. The path skirts around the slopes of the West Top to gain
the ridge crest. Backtrack to the top which became the summit of Beinn a'Chroin
in 1999 when its height was remeasured and found to be 1 metre higher then the
East Top. This takes about an hour from An Caisteal
The East Top may be worth a visit for views in good weather. Continue
along the undulating ridge past a couple of cairns, some odd rock formations
and a final little climb to the other top of Beinn a'Chroin.
 |
| The final climb up to Beinn
a'Chroin's East Top |
The usual exit route is to head north from the East Top cairn down a
grassy ridge which descends to a stream junction in the Coire Earb (the
headwaters of the River Falloch). The stream is then followed down the corrie
to the landrover track and easy walking back to the carpark.
However I decided to wander back along the summit ridge since the
weather was clearing. This gave me the chance to grab a couple of photos of
misty mountains in the distance with the distinctive rock formations in the
foreground. The summit then provided more photo opportunities (including the
photo at the top of the page) before I dropped north down the stream from the
col between the two Munros. This was steep to begin with but soon levelled out
as it reached the stream junction in the Coire Earb and the stroll down the
corrie.
