Beinn Tulaichean, Cruach Ardrain and Inverlochlarig Glen Loop

This is a tough, compact mountain circuit in the southern Highlands that packs two Munros into roughly 12 km / 7.5 miles, with about 1,000 m / 3,280 ft of ascent. The route starts at the small car park at the end of the public road beyond Loch Voil, near Inverlochlarig Farm in Balquhidder Glen, within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. Walkhighlands lists the start simply as Inverlochlarig, near Balquhidder, and the National Park notes that this is the usual car-based approach for the classic circuit over Beinn Tulaichean and Cruach Ardrain. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

The outing begins gently enough on estate tracks through the glen, but that easy start can be misleading. After passing toward Inverlochlarig, the route turns into a steep, pathless climb onto Beinn Tulaichean, followed by a more defined ridge traverse to Cruach Ardrain, then a rough descent back into Inverlochlarig Glen. Walkhighlands describes the terrain as pathless and boggy on the ascent and descent, with the ridge between the two summits being the most straightforward section. That combination of steep grass, intermittent paths, rough ground and navigation demands is what gives the walk its difficult character. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

Getting to the start

By car, the usual approach is through Balquhidder Glen, following the minor road west past Loch Voil to the public car park at the road end near Inverlochlarig. Inverlochlarig Farm states it lies about 8 miles / 13 km from the A84, which gives a good sense of how tucked away the start is. There is a purpose-built car park at Inverlochlarig for walkers. (inverlochlarig.co.uk)

Public transport is limited. Walkhighlands states there is no public transport to the start itself. The nearest realistic rail access is Crianlarich Station, Station Road, Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8QN, served by ScotRail, and the National Park also notes coach links to Crianlarich from Glasgow and central Scotland via Citylink. From there, however, you would still need onward road transport to reach Inverlochlarig, as the trailhead is not directly served. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

The first section follows the track on the north side of the glen toward Inverlochlarig Farm. This lower ground is pastoral rather than dramatic at first, with open grazing land, burns, gates and estate infrastructure. Soon after the bridge and stile, the route passes a small hydro building before continuing north up Glen Inverlochlarig. That hydro scheme is part of more recent land-use changes in the glen, where farming, deer management and environmental projects now sit alongside hill access. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

The climb to Beinn Tulaichean

The ascent of Beinn Tulaichean is where the day starts to bite. There is no engineered mountain path for much of this section, and the lower slopes can be wet and uneven. A common line is to continue along the glen track a little farther before breaking uphill on a bumpy ridge to avoid the boggiest ground at the base. From there, the climb is sustained and steep, gaining height rapidly over grassy slopes broken by occasional crags. Around 500 m / 1,640 ft elevation, a fence line crosses the hillside; above that, the ground eases only briefly before the upper ridge becomes more defined and a path begins to help with the final pull to the summit. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

Beinn Tulaichean stands at 946 m / 3,104 ft and is often described as little more than the southern top of Cruach Ardrain, separated from it by only a modest bealach. Even so, it is a worthwhile summit in its own right, with excellent views back over Loch Voil and Loch Doine and across to the larger surrounding peaks. The summit itself is a cairned rocky outcrop rather than a broad plateau, and in poor visibility it can feel more exposed than its grassy approaches suggest. (walkhighlands.co.uk)

Ridge traverse to Cruach Ardrain