Walking Highland Perthshire. Ronald Turnbull
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Ben Vorlich from across Loch Earn
Drop steeply north, swinging northwest as the slope eases, then bending west to the 717m top. Now posts of an old fence lead down a spur, to the highest point of Bealach Gliogarsnaich.
To omit Ben Vorlich
Turn left and follow the stream south down out of the pass and along its wide valley. There’s no path; the best going is beside the stream. You reach the valley foot and rejoin the main route at the ruin of Dubh Choirein house.
The main route follows the path north through the col for 500 metres, with a stream forming alongside. As Glen Vorlich opens out below, slant out to the left – leaving the path too early will land you on steep uncomfortable slopes. Head up west towards the northeast-facing hollow below the summit of Ben Vorlich. Reach the small floor of this hollow at about 700m level.
Here you have two options. One is to take a deer path which slants out to the right, passing up a grassy ramp between two small outcrops, and from the top of the ramp, turn left up the spurline Sgiath nam Tarmachan. The other is just to continue straight up the hollow. Another deer path slants out right, higher up, or you can just keep up the steepening slope, to right of stones and scree, to arrive suddenly at the path on Sgiath nam Tarmachan.
On turning left up Sgiath nam Tarmachan from either route, you soon meet the broad Munro-baggers’ path up from Loch Earn. Follow it up to the white trig point at Ben Vorlich summit.
A delightful 100 metres of ridge lead to the east summit, just 1m lower. Continue down the well-defined southeast ridge, with a small path and old fence posts. At its foot the ridge levels, with a peat hag. Drop left for slightly easier going alongside the stream Allt a’ Bhealaich Gliogarsnaiche, following it down to the ruined Dubh Choirein house. The route omitting Ben Vorlich rejoins here.
Remains of a footbridge start the path down Allt an Dubh Choirein. This path is mostly still there, and follows the left bank of the small river. After 1.2km the river has a small, tree-lined gorge. Just after this the main path heads out left, away from the river, to a bridge over a sidestream Allt na Fearna, then follows it back to the main river. In another 400 metres you pass a footbridge. Around 600 metres after that, the riverside path joins a grassy track, through a gate below a new plantation.
Ben Vorlich summit, from the east top
The track gives comfortable walking, after 1km joining a somewhat more used one that arrives over a bridge from the right. The track passes over the spur of Monadh Odhar, then drops to the farm passed on the outward walk.
Head through the white gate and down the driveway track. Once across the river bridge, take a gate on the left. If it’s got dark, you can just walk back along the road. A fishermen’s path runs through riverside meadows: where it passes under powerlines,it is marked with yellow noticeboards about not flourishing one’s rod overhead.
As the bank steepens, the path is just above the river. Pass along more level meadows, then keep above another steep banking above the river. Just beyond this, a footbridge over a ditch leads to a gate into the church car park.
ROUTE 2
Beinn Dearg
| Start/finish | Glenartney church car park NN711161 |
| Distance | 13.5km/8.5 miles |
| Ascent | 750m/2500ft |
| Approx time | 5hr |
| Max altitude | Beinn Dearg 706m |
| Terrain | Pathless grassy ridge; approach and final descent on rough tussocky grassland |
Switzerland has its röstigrabe, east of which one eats pan-fried potatoes and speaks German. Perthshire has its heatherline, east of which one struggles in knee-scratching shrubbery and speaks Anglo-Saxon swearwords. The green ridge of Beinn Dearg is all the more enjoyable when you look across Allt Glas to the brown twigs of Ben Halton on the other side of the divide.
The green ridgeline fringed with its small crags is a delight, but the approach is across damp moorland. And the last half-kilometre of the descent shows that grass too can induce swear words, when you meet it thigh-high in July or August.
Start back along the Glen Artney road for 400 metres, then bear down left on a farm track marked ‘Dogs on Leads’. Pass below the buildings at Dalchruin, then follow the riverside to a bridge.
Beinn Dearg from Glen Artney
Cross over and follow the track uphill. Where it bends left, turn off right, but at once turn up left on a smaller track. After 200 metres, as it bends left towards the hut Dalclathick, keep ahead, through rough pastureland. Pass right of two ruins to a gateway above the stream junction of Allt Coire a’ Choire. The Stream of the Corrie of the Corrie; the next valley west is Srath a’ Ghlinne, the Valley of the Glen.
A faint green track descends to ford the stream, then bends to right of a steep rise onto moorland. Ahead, it passes between two isolated iron gateposts. Keep following it north, as it provides a slightly more comfortable line. At a tall fence, a gate 50 metres to the left gives an easier place to wriggle between the wires.
The old track rises briefly northwest, then turns north again to Allt Glas. Keep to left of the stream, to the tailings of a slate quarry. Go up to right of this, onto the southeastern spurline of Beinn Dearg. Keep to the fairly sharp and mildly rocky crest, close to drops on the right, for an enjoyable ascent to Beinn Dearg. The northernmost knoll has the small cairn.
The knolly ridgeline continues around the head of a corrie overlooking Glen Artney. After an unnamed second summit (705m, only 1m lower than the main top) the ridge descends south for a col to a wide, grassy top at 618m (Sron na Maoile). Cross this, avoiding one or two peat hags. From its end, descend southeast, to left of dense peat hags. Once below them, work downhill and to the right, to descend southwards towards Glen Artney. Aim for the tree-lined Water of Ruchill opposite, above Auchinner.
The slope levels at moraines at 300m level, and becomes heavy with rushes, tall grass and bracken. Descend to a track above the river, and turn right to a high gate with a stalking notice on the back. The track crosses a field to a bridge over Allt Srath a’ Ghlinne. Head upstream to right of Water of Ruchill, to a stile onto the driveway below Auchinner.
Cross the bridge onto the start of the public road down the glen. It leads to the car park; or else, immediately after the bridge, turn left through a gate. This is the start of a fisherman’s path through meadows by the river (see Route 1) that can be followed back to the car park.
ROUTE 3
Water of Ruchill
| Start/finish | The Linn car park, Water of Ruchill near Comrie NN763200 |
| Distance | 14km/9 miles |
| Ascent | 350m/1100ft |
| Approx time | 4hr |
| Max altitude | Slopes of Ben Halton 320m |
| Terrain | Tracks, and a grassy meadow |
A walk of parkland, moorland, and woods and fields above Glen Artney. There’s a rough pasture to descend between the two tracks, and a small swamp in Ruchillside Wood. It’s worth walking around this as feet will stay dry on the rest of the route.
Start back down the tarmac lane towards Comrie for 1.2km, first beside Water of Ruchill then between fields. At a