Walking Highland Perthshire. Ronald Turnbull
bypassed on the left (east). Regaining the crest, you arrive below a knobby outcrop. This should be bypassed on the right (south). Above this the ridge changes its character, becoming stones and moss, and leads up directly to Ben Challum summit cairn.
South Top option
As you arrive at the cairn, a path joins from the right (south). You could use this for an out-and-back walk along the airy summit ridge to the lower south top, 800 metres away (1.6km there and back, 70m of ascent, about 30min).
From Ben Challum summit descend a steep spur east, to reach the level shoulder and slight rise to Stob a’ Bhiora. Descend just north of east to a final knoll. The spur drops steeply below. If you’re above a fringe of crag, move a few steps left. Go straight down northeast into broken ground, descending between a couple of small crags. As the ground eases, continue down the spurline until you see the deer fence crossing below. Then slant back left to the intake dam on the Allt Challuim at the end of the approach track. Continuing straight down to the valley floor involves a deer fence and ungrazed tussocks of newly planted woodland.
Return along the approach track for 2.5km to the track junction above Badvaim/Batavaime. Descend the winding track all the way if you wish or else, directly above Badvaim, keep directly downhill with deer fence on your left. Head down to right of the stream to an old gate and Badvaim hut. Its access track reaches the valley floor past farm sheds.
A smooth track runs down the valley to left of the river, to the road corner near Kenknock. Continue ahead along the road to the car park.
ROUTE 11
Beinn nan Imirean, Meall Glas
| Start/finish | Car park between road and river east of Kenknock NN476367 |
| Distance | 22.5km/14 miles |
| Ascent | 1000m/3300ft |
| Approx time | 7½hr |
| Max altitude | Meall Glas 959m |
| Terrain | Tracks, and high-altitude grassy hill slopes |
| Note | See map in Route 10 |
The tough bits of Perthshire hills are the bottoms. Below the 600m mark the tussocks are lumpy and the heather is high. So it makes sense to seek out walks where ready-made Landrover tracks take you up through this less likeable ground, onto the grass and gravel of the heights. It’s a bonus when those tracks also give you a few miles of sheltered riverside rambling on the way in.
Beinn nan Imirean is unvisited and pathless, a couple of cairns at the summit the only mark of man. The extra 100m of height on Meall Glas mean it’s somewhat rocky, and gravel replaces grass. But the main difference between 850m and 950m is Munro status, which means a trodden path, and a human being or two to chat with at the cairn.
Start at a new car park 1km east of Kenknock (see Route 10). Follow the public road to Kenknock drive end, where it becomes a private (hydro board) one. Where it turns uphill, keep ahead past a vehicle barrier and over a bridge. Follow the track up-valley to right of the river.
Beinn nan Imirean, to Creag Mhor
By a gatepost 1km from the end of the tarred road a strange boulder shows black starburst crystals that I take to be graphitic schist (NN456357). Later on the route the track alongside the Lubchurran Burn offers fine displays of garnets, up to the size of peas. Spot them in clean rocks turned over by track construction. The red-brown crystals are indicators of the high temperatures and pressures sustained by this metamorphic stone.
A track turns off left for the ford to Lubchurran, and will be the return route: for now, keep ahead. Pass below Badour and then below a mountaineering club hut, Badvaim (or Batavaime). At the head of Glen Lochay the track crosses two streams, and bends to the south.
As the track starts to climb towards Lochan Chailein, look out for a smaller grassy track forking down left. It fords the stream then zigzags up towards Meall Glas. Waterfalls are to right of the track. It ends in a shallow grassy bowl at 550m altitude. Turn south, crossing various feeder streams of the waterfalls, onto the north ridge of Beinn nan Imirean. Go up the pathless grassy ridge to the summit cairn.
Turn down east at first, keeping to right of a cairn apparently placed to guide you over the one small cliff hereabouts. Go down grassy slopes, to pass a conspicuous quartz boulder. The col below is peat-hagged on the right (southeast) side, but at its highest point a short peaty crossing leads to a series of firm hummocks. Go straight up Meall Glas to a shoulder to right of the summit, then turn up northwest to the top. The summit cairn is mostly made of quartz from a nearby vein.
Head east along the broad summit ridge, with a small path. The path skirts to left of the 908m top to the trig point on Beinn Cheathaich. Head north, on a pleasantly angled grassy ridge ideal for descent. At 680m look out for a track on the right – its start is just beyond a bare peat patch, itself just to right of the ill-defined crest line. The track contours right, southeast, across a stream, then turns downhill to left of the main Lubchurran Burn.
The track passes a small water intake, then passes to left of Lubchurran house. The river crossing beyond is a shallow ford – a former footbridge downstream no longer exists. Turn right on the track beyond, back to the car park.
Meall Garbh summit ridge (Route 12)
ROUTE 12
The Tarmachans
| Start/finish | National Trust car park (former visitor centre) on high road below Lochan na Lairige NN607378 |
| Distance | 14.5km/9 miles |
| Ascent | 850m/2800ft |
| Approx time | 5½hr |
| Max altitude | Meall nan Tarmachan 1044m |
| Terrain | Well-built ascent path, clear ridge path with one rocky descent, small descent path and grassy track |
The multitude of small pointy summits along the ridge gives the Tarmachans a feel of miniature mountaineering. None of the tops apart from Meall nan Tarmachan itself is a Munro. Accordingly, this ridge is ‘purely for pleasure’. The path weaves among the rocky knolls, and the only moment of distress may be the descent from Meall Garbh. The bare rock here isn’t a natural scramble: it’s been exposed by human footfalls over the years. It’s in a rather exposed position, and uncomfortable or worse when wet or under snow.
Note that limited verge parking is also possible where the contouring track encountered (see end of first paragraph below) meets the Lairig road (NN604384). Follow the track through a gate and then for 300 metres to where the path crosses.
The pay and display car park at the 430m contour is spacious, with signboards about natural history. Start at the bottom corner of the car park, following a rough track briefly, then turning up to the right on a well-built path. After 800 metres the path crosses a contouring track.
Continue up the well-built path, into a fenced regeneration enclosure, to meet Meall nan Tarmachan’s south ridge at about the 700m level. The wide path heads up the ridge, which is a sequence of grassy lumps to a top at 923m. The path descends over a ladder stile to cross a col, then rises in very steep stone steps. As the angle eases a bit, the path slants up a terrace shelf on the east side of the hill, passing just below the summit, to join the north ridge. Turn back up left 50 metres to the small cairn of Meall nan Tarmachan.
The Tarmachans from Killin
The ridge path heads south, then bends southwest along the knolly ridgeline. That ridgeline