Ben Cruachan routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
1,127 m ยท Argyll and Bute
Ben Cruachan is the highest mountain in Argyll, a Munro above Loch Awe with a rocky summit and a famous horseshoe round the Cruachan Reservoir.
Peakify lists 2 measured routes up Ben Cruachan, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Ben Cruachan routes, easiest to hardest
Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.
| Route | Start | Distance | Ascent | Time up | There and back | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falls of Cruachan via Meall Cuanail | Falls of Cruachan, Loch Awe | 5.9 km one way | 1,145 m | 3h 5m | 4h 15m | Hard |
| Cruachan Horseshoe | Falls of Cruachan, Loch Awe | 5.0 km one way | 1,137 m | 2h 55m | 3h 55m | Scramble |
Ben Cruachan route times by Naismith's rule
The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.
Each Ben Cruachan route
Falls of Cruachan via Meall Cuanail
A steep woodland path to the reservoir dam, then up Meall Cuanail and the rocky final slopes to the summit. It starts from Falls of Cruachan, Loch Awe. 5.9 km one way with 1,145 m of ascent. About 3h 5m to the summit and 4h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Cruachan Horseshoe
A round of the ridge above the reservoir over Stob Daimh, Drochaid Ghlas and Ben Cruachan, with bouldery, narrow sections. It starts from Falls of Cruachan, Loch Awe. 5.0 km one way with 1,137 m of ascent. About 2h 55m to the summit and 3h 55m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.
Ben Cruachan route GPX
This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Ben Cruachan route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Ben Cruachan, plan the route in the route planner (or import a GPX you already have), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.
Before you pick a route
The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Ben Cruachan today and the Ben Cruachan 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Ben Cruachan routes
The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.
Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.
Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
If you are new to Ben Cruachan, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.
Questions about Ben Cruachan
What is the easiest route up Ben Cruachan?
Climb from the Falls of Cruachan to the reservoir dam, then up Meall Cuanail to the summit and return the same way.
How much time does each Ben Cruachan route take?
Falls of Cruachan via Meall Cuanail: about 3h 5m up and 4h 15m there and back. Cruachan Horseshoe: about 2h 55m up and 3h 55m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.
Can I get a GPX file for a Ben Cruachan route?
Not from this page. In the Peakify iPhone app, plan the route in the route planner (or import one), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.