Cruach Ardrain routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 2 measured routes up Cruach Ardrain, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Cruach Ardrain 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.

Cruach Ardrain 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 Cruach Ardrain route

Crianlarich via Grey Heights

You cross the railway and climb through forest onto the ridge over Grey Heights to the summit. It starts from Crianlarich. 9.5 km one way with 985 m of ascent. About 3h 35m to the summit and 5h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Inverlochlarig via Beinn Tulaichean

A steep grassy climb leads to Beinn Tulaichean, then a ridge path continues north to Cruach Ardrain. It starts from Inverlochlarig, Balquhidder Glen. 5.3 km one way with 1,017 m of ascent. About 2h 45m to the summit and 3h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Cruach Ardrain route GPX

This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Cruach Ardrain route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Cruach Ardrain, 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.

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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 Cruach Ardrain today and the Cruach Ardrain 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Cruach Ardrain 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 Cruach Ardrain, 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 Cruach Ardrain

What is the easiest route up Cruach Ardrain?

Crianlarich via Grey Heights has the easiest grade of the 2 routes listed here (Moderate).

How much time does each Cruach Ardrain route take?

Crianlarich via Grey Heights: about 3h 35m up and 5h 25m there and back. Inverlochlarig via Beinn Tulaichean: about 2h 45m up and 3h 50m 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 Cruach Ardrain 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.