The end of a busy working week was hugely improved by a Friday afternoon mountain walk. With limited time, due to work in the morning and an earlier winter sunset, my friend Sarah and I chose a Corbett that was fairly close to our homes in East Dunbartonshire – and one that promised a short hike,
Beinn an Lochan in the Arrochar Alps, and just off the Rest and Be Thankful road looked ideal. The route from a parking area at the side of the main road near Butter Bridge is 3.5 miles in total and has 720m of ascent. The going is steep, however, and it’s worth allowing up to four hours for the out-and-back hike to the summit at 901m.
Beinn an Lochan was originally listed in Sir Hugh Munro’s table of Munros, although more recent surveys have showed it to be below the 3000ft (914m) for Munro classification. Instead, it makes a fine Corbett.
Sarah and I were lucky with the clear and sunny weather. The views of the nearby Alps and further afield across Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park were stunning.
There are a few boggy sections, especially at the start and finish of the route. The rest of the route is on an obvious mountain path and while there are a few sections that drop steeply to the side, this is not an ominous route.
There is also a small river crossing and a couple of places where you need your hands, as well as your feet, to climb up slabby rocks. It is very mild scrambling.
The Walk Highland’s route of Beinn an Lochan suggests small circuit at the summit for an alternative descent but on the way up that route looked boggy, so Sarah and I did a straightforward out-and-back. We had been a little worried about how steep and slippery the path would be on the descent, but it was surprisingly fine.
I’ll let the video show you the wonders of this short, steep but very rewarding Corbett walk.
