Tuesday 20 May 2025 - Meall Buidhe

I dropped Sue off near Crianlarich so that she could nip up a couple more Munro summits, Ben More and Stob Binnein, bringing her total to eight over the last few days. She has just one easy summit left to go up in this area.

I've been up these Crianlarich hills a few times (albeit not recently), and I'm rather slow these days, so I opted to drive on to the car park at the head of Glen Ogle, from where Meall Buidhe offered a nice little excursion.

There was lots of Broom beside the nicely graded forest track.

Before long, the track emerged from the trees on yet another lovely sunny day.

There were good views back to Ben More and its slightly less lofty neighbours.

The track ended after an hour, at a communications aerial, where I enjoyed my elevenses before slogging my way up the remaining 130 metres or so. The lack of recent rain gave me the bonus of a dry walk over what in more normal times would be a very boggy trudge.

Here I am at the 719 metre summit.

More views towards Ben More, and the Ben Lawers summits. 

Someone has built a comfy seat near the summit, overlooking Lochearnhead and the conspicuous summits of Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin. A great spot at which to enjoy a leisurely lunch.

After that it was a fairly easy stroll across to the slightly lower summit of Beinn Leabhainn, from where there were similar views plus a good look down Loch Tay.

I then took a direct line to reach the aerial, where I finished my lunch before strolling back down the forest track to the car park.

Wood Sorrel was still in flower here.

As was Cuckoo Flower.

Here's my route. Just 8.8km, with 450 metres ascent, taking 3.5 hours.

Then it was back towards Crianlarich to pick up Sue and return to Tarbet by mid afternoon, leaving plenty of time for me to compose this diary entry and for Sue to wash her sweat off in Loch Lomond.