Page Type: | Mountain/Rock |
---|---|
Lat/Lon: | 56.56979°N / 4.46955°W |
Activities: | Hiking, Mountaineering |
Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
Elevation: | 3150 ft / 960 m |
Stuchd an Lochain (pronounced:stooch an lochan) is located east of Bridge of Balgie, to the south of the Loch an Daimh reservoir, within the long meandering Glen Lyon in Scotland.
Stuchd an Lochain (translation:peak of the little loch) stands at a height of 960m/3150ft. The name, as explained in the translation, refers to the small Lochan nan Cat that sits some 250m beneath the peaks steep eastern flanks. This aspect makes this a splendid and fascinating looking corrie. The peak is classified as a Scottish Munro and is number 197 in the Munro heights table.
One of the first accounts of any ascent of a Scottish peak was on this very mountain back in 1590. The local Laird, Mad Colin Campbell of Meggernie, is said to have climbed the hill and came across a herd of goats. Which he then duly chased over the edge and down to their deaths in the lochan below.
Access to the peak is gained by the single track road that leads west from Bridge of Balgie, which is to the north of the more infamous Ben Lawers Range and west of the town of Aberfeldy. There is a small number of parking spots available at the roads end, just before the Loch an Daimh dam. From here, go south around the dam, where a faint path (quite boggy) climbs steeply up onto Creag an Fheadain. A straight forward drop and climb south west then leads to the top of Sron Chona Choirein, before a nice amble and one last climb, west, leads to the summit.
Approx time taken: 4 hours.
Directly north of this peak lies another Munro called Meall Bhuide (yellow hill) and this can be added to your day by either dropping back down to the dam and climbing its southern slopes or by traversing around the peaks that surround the loch in a clockwise direction.
Due to its fairly remote location it is advised to arrange car transportation to and from this peak, however alternative transport methods to areas nearby can be sought via train and bus.
Airports
Glasgow Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Prestwick International Airport
Car
View Larger Map
Train
The nearest train station to Stuchd an Lochain is at Pitlochry. Scotrail info link.
Bus
The nearest bus drop off from Glasgow/Edinburgh is Killin. Details can be found on this Scottish City Link info link.
There is no red tape in Scotland due to the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 which incorporated 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.
The Land Reform(Scotland) Act 2003
Scottish Outdoor Access Code
The following aspects should be taken into consideration when you are in the Scottish countryside;
The best two place to base yourself for climbing in the Glen Lyon region are in the picturesque towns of Killin or Aberfeldy.
Coshieville House
Aberfeldy Weem Hotel
Balnearn Guest House
Killin Hotel
Craigbuie Guest House
Culdees Bunkhouse
Ben Lawers Bunkhouse
Loch Tay Highland Lodges
Cruachan Farm Caravan & Camping Park
Aberfeldy Caravan Park
Wild camping is totally legal in Scotland and can be done in various locations close to Stuchd an Lochain. This is due to the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 that was mentioned earlier.
Here are some of the basic rules that should be adopted when wild camping;
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland provides an invaluable leaflet providing a full breakdown of the dos and don'ts of wild camping in Scotland. Wild Camping, A guide to good practice.
The weather conditions in Perthshire can alter rapidly and you should ensure you are fully prepared for all weather eventualities. The following websites will provide invaluable information on the expected conditions for your planned trip.
Southeastern Highlands Forecast
Mountain forecast
Avalanche forecast
BBC Weather - Killin - 3 Day Forecast
The Southern Highlands by Donald Bennet
Scottish Hill and Mountain Names by Peter Drummond
The Munros (SMC Hillwalkers guide) edited by Donald Bennet & Rab Anderson
Cicerone Guide - Central and Southern Scottish Highlands – backpacking guide by Graham Uney
The Munros by Cameron McNeish
OS sheet 51 Loch Tay & Glen Dochart
OS Explorer sheet 378 - Ben Lawers & Glen Lyon
Visit Scotland
Discover Scotland
Undiscovered Scotland
Walk the Highlands
The Scottish Mountaineering Club
Visit Perthshire
Buachaille.com
Munro Magic