The mountains located to the north and to the west of Arrochar are some of the most well known and frequented peaks in the Southern Highlands of Scotland. The main peaks of this range are Beinn Narnain, Ben Vane, Beinn Ime, Ben Vorlich and The Cobbler. These five main peaks gave rise to the early development of climbing in Scotland. Originally known as 'The Arrochar Group' or 'The Arrochar Mountains' in the latter 1800's and early 1900's the term 'Arrochar Alps' was only first introduced by the author and climber Ben Humble in 1946.

Of the five main peaks, The Cobbler, undoubtedly is the biggest attraction to the climber(although not in size) . The extraordinary jagged outline of the three rocky peaks, clearly visible from Arrochar itself, has made the Arrochar Alps the focal point of climbing in the Southern Highlands since the first explorations took place in the late 1800's. In these early days, when there was no cars, Arrochar was easily accessable for the early visitor as it had a train station on the West Highland Railway line.

The Arrochar Alps are enclosed by Loch Lomond to the east, Glen Croe and Loch Long to the south, Glen Kinglass on the west and Strath Duibh-uisge to the north.

As the weather in Scotland is generally a bit on the wet side, care should be taken when in the Arrochar Alps in this kind of weather as the rock is mainly made up of mica-schist with a coating of lime. This is seriously slippy stuff when wet!

Although not generally noted for its winter climbing, the right conditions can provide excellent snow and ice routes. Unfortunately these conditions do not last long due to the modest height of these peaks. Throw in the proximity to the west coast and you usually don't get prolonged winter conditions compared to other locations in Scotland.

Lying deep in the glen between Ben Vane and Ben Vorlich is the Loch Sloy reservoir. Fed by many of the mountain streams this reservoir feeds the generating station at Inveruglas on the banks of Loch Lomond.

Ardgoil

The Peaks

The Cobbler

Ben Ime

Ben Narnain

Ben Vane

Ben Vorlich

A'Chrois

Beinn Luibhean

Stob Coire Creagach

Beinn Bhuidhe

Meall an Fhudair

Beinn an Lochain

The Brack

Ben Donich

Beinn Bhuela

Beinn Mhor

Clach Bheinn

Getting There

Car

From Glasgow take the A82 road via Loch Lomond until reaching Tarbet. Continue along the A82 (this road goes right at Tarbet) for Inveruglas and Ardlui. For Arrochar and Glen Douglas continue straight on at Tarbet (this is the A83 road). To reach the peaks of Ardgoil, continue through Arrochar and climb The Rest and Be Thankful. At the top, turn left onto the A828 and follow the signs for Lochgoilhead. For the peak of Beinn Bhuidhe in the far north of the range, follow the A83 through Glen Kinglass unti reaching the shores of Loch Fyne.

Train

Glasgow Queen Street station direct to Arrochar.

Scotrail info

Bus

Buses run daily from Buchanan Street bus station in Glasgow to Campbell Town, via Arrochar.

Scottish City Link info

Red Tape

There is no red tape in Scotland due to the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 which encorporated the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. This code, which commenced on the 9th of February 2005, has established statutory rights of access to land and inland water for outdoor recreation. So the good news is that the hillwalker/climber has full access to all the peaks in this region.

The Land Reform(Scotland) Act 2003

Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Special consideration, however, should be taken into account when planning a trip in the mountains when the deer stalking season is in full flow. See the section for this below.

Accommodation

Loch Long from the Arrochar Alps. Photo by:(Boydie)

There is the Tarbet hotel in Tarbet and various guest houses in Arrochar.
Campsites are available on route, with one also at the bottom of the Rest and Be Thankful at Ardgarten.

Books and Maps

Image reproduced with permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

Landranger Map 56 - Loch Lomond & Inverary
OS Map Explorer sheet 363 - Cowal East
OS Map Explorer sheet 364 - Loch Lomond North
Harvey Superwalker Map - Arrochar Alps.

The Munros by Cameron McNeish.
The Scottish Peaks by W.A. Poucher.
The Corbetts and Other Scottish Hills by Scott Johnstone, Hamish Brown & Donald Bennet.
The Southern Highlands by D.J.Bennet.
Climbers guide to Arran, Arrochar and the Southern Highlands by K.V. Crocket & A. Walker.

Deer Stalking Information

Deer stalking takes place in Scotland mainly between the months of August and October, although this can continue through until the turn of the year.
The current main stalking dates for Glen Fyne & Glen Falloch for this year are mid August until mid October.

When on the hills during these times walkers can help to avoid disturbing the deer by:

1. Checking with the estate or appropriate Hillphone service.
2. Find out about stalking activities before you go.
3. On the day, follow any advice on locally posted signs about preferred routes.
4. Keep to established tracks where they exist.
5. On the hill, keep to the ridges and avoid cutting through corries especially when descending as this will disturb the deer less.

It should be noted that no deer stalking takes place on Sundays.

Information and contact details for planned deer stalking can be found at Hill Phones, Glen Fyne & Glen Falloch

The main peaks affected in the area are: Beinn Bhuidhe and Ben Vane

Mountain & Weather Conditions

Snowy Cobbler. Photo by: (munroitis)

The Arrochar Alps are fully accessible throughout the entire year however, the weather conditions in the Grampians of Scotland can change rapidly and for that reason you should be fully prepared for all weather eventualities when on the mountains in this area.

Western Highlands Mountain Forecast

Local Mountain Forecast

5 Day Arrochar Weather Forecast

Basic Guide to Gaelic

Gaelic is a very rich language topographically, and this basic guide to some of its elements should hopefully provide useful information that will assist in understanding how/why the mountains in Scotland are derived and to enrich your knowledge of the local environment. It should be noted that in Gaelic a describing word would be placed at the end of a mountain name; i.e. Sgorr (peak) Dhearg (red), Sgorr Dhearg translated is Red Peak. This would read in English as Peak Red.

For a full detail of Gaelic mountain pronunciations I recommend the following book;
� Scottish Hill and Mountain Names; by Peter Drummond.

Glossary

Gaelic word	English translation	Pronunciation
Achadh	field	achagh
Adharcan	Lapwing	ogharkan
Airidh	sheiling	aa'rea
Allt	stream, river	ault
Aonach	ridge	onach
Ard, Aird	high place	aird
Ba	cattle	baa
Ban	white, pale	baan
Beag	little	bayk
Bealach	pass, col	byalach
Beinn, Bheinn, Ben	mountain	byn
Beith	Birch	bay
Bidean	pinnacle	beetyan
Binnean	high, conical hill	beenyan
Blar	cleared space, field	blaar
Both	Hut	bo
Breac	speckled	brechk
Buidhe	yellow	booya
Cas	steep	cas
caorach	sheep	koreech
Caorunn	Rowan	koran
Carn	cairn	kaarn
Ceann	head, headland	kyaan
Cioch	breast	keeach
Ciche	genetive of cioch	keecha
Clach	stone	klach
Coille	wood, forest	kilya
Creag	crag, rock, cliff	krayk
Damh	Stag	dav
Darach	Oak	darach
Dearg	red	dyerack
Dubh	black	doo
Eas	waterfall	es
Eilidh	Hind	aalay
Eilean	island	aalyan
Eun	bird	ayn
Fada	long	fata
Fas	deserted place	faas
Feadag	Plover	fedak
Fionn	white, holy	fyoon
Fraoch	Heather	froch
Fuar	cold	fooar
Fuaran	Well, spring	fooaran
Gabhar	Goat	gaavar
Garbh	rough	garv
Geal	white	gyal
Gearr	short	gyar
Githas	Pine	gyoo'as
Glas	grey, green	glas
Gorm	green, blue	goram
Guala	shoulder of hill	gooala
Iolaire	Eagle	yi'lara
Labhar	loud	lavar
Lairig	pass	laarik
Leacach	stony slope	lyech-kach
Leathad	broad slope, brae	lyehat
Liadh	grey	lyeea
Madadh-ruadh	Fox	matagh-rooagh
Maol	bare top	moel
Meall	round top	myowl
Mheadhoin	middle	ve-aan
Mor, Mhor	large	moar
Muileann	mill	mool-an
Mullach	top, summit	mooll-ach
Odhar	dun coloured	ouar
Roid	bog	rot
Ruadh	red	rooagh
Sgorr, Sgurr	rocky peak	skoor
Sneachd	snow	shnyach
Sron	nose	srawn
Stob	point	stop
Tarmachan	Ptarmigan	taramachan
Trilleachan	Oyster-catcher, Sand-piper	treel-yachan
Uaine	green, pallid	ooanya
Uinneag	window	oonyak

External Links

The best seat in the house. Photo by:(Boydie)

Visit Scotland

Discover Scotland

Undiscovered Scotland

The Scottish Mountaineering Club

Munro Magic

Hill Phones

Buachaille.com

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland

Walk Highlands

Images



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