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Beinn Narnain (926m), Beinn Ìme (1,011m) and The Cobbler (884m) (Ben Arthur, Beinn Artair)
Hiking Trail
Hard
9.3 mi
5,167 ft
A big day, a big car park fee and a big load of tourists, but beat that and you'll have fantastic hike on three local area classics!
This guide and GPX file have been created with the intent of climbing all three of these mountains in a single day. Each three of these summits can be climbed individually, in a double, or as stated previously all three together. It’s a big day but well worth the effort if you want to impress the coachloads of tourists out on the trail. These three mountains are true Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park classics!
Beinn Narnain (926m) in Gaelic translates to the ‘hill of notches’, describing the mountain’s notched like profile. This is the first mountain to summit on the ‘big-three’ route. Park in the Succoth car park. It’s gets very busy during peak season so best to arrive early if you can. It’s also very expensive. Traverse across the main road to reach the forest start gate onto the path. Just after the gate, turn right as soon as you can to climb the old ascent route to Beinn Narnain. Don’t expect a stairway to heaven because the route is steep and wet underfoot. Stay on this trail all the way to the summit of Beinn Narnain.
The next summit is Beinn Ìme (1,011m) the highest point in the Arrochar Alps. Descend off the western side of Beinn Narnain following the path. The trail will eventually form a T-junction by joining the path that leads to the Beinn Ìme summit. It’s a fairly long trek up to the peak but well worth it for the views on a sunny day. The majority of tourists wearing ‘trackies and trainers’ won’t have made it this far so well done. Retrace your steps back down the southern face of Beinn Ìme.
The third and final objective is The Cobbler (884m) a.k.a. Ben Arthur / Beinn Artair. It is named for its large rocky summit features which are supposed to represent a cobbler bending over his last (a tool used in shoemaking). Either way it’s worth the effort as the rocky summit provides excellent views of the surrounding terrain. Some steep and dangerous terrain encompasses the summit so if you witness a tourist attempting some gnarly freeride-hiking lines, probably best to just stick to the well-worn trail. Take the path past Arthur’s Seat (858m) to descend the north-eastern ridge to link up with the main trail that will meander its way back down to the car park.
This hike and guide were completed during summer weather conditions. This is just one opinion of this route. Make sure to do your own research by consulting local internet resources, mountain guides or guidebooks to evaluate other opinions so you can be best prepared for the terrain.
A Guide by Red
Written by Red Evans
This guide and GPX file have been created with the intent of climbing all three of these mountains in a single day. Each three of these summits can be climbed individually, in a double, or as stated previously all three together. It’s a big day but well worth the effort if you want to impress the coachloads of tourists out on the trail. These three mountains are true Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park classics!
Beinn Narnain (926m) in Gaelic translates to the ‘hill of notches’, describing the mountain’s notched like profile. This is the first mountain to summit on the ‘big-three’ route. Park in the Succoth car park. It’s gets very busy during peak season so best to arrive early if you can. It’s also very expensive. Traverse across the main road to reach the forest start gate onto the path. Just after the gate, turn right as soon as you can to climb the old ascent route to Beinn Narnain. Don’t expect a stairway to heaven because the route is steep and wet underfoot. Stay on this trail all the way to the summit of Beinn Narnain.
The next summit is Beinn Ìme (1,011m) the highest point in the Arrochar Alps. Descend off the western side of Beinn Narnain following the path. The trail will eventually form a T-junction by joining the path that leads to the Beinn Ìme summit. It’s a fairly long trek up to the peak but well worth it for the views on a sunny day. The majority of tourists wearing ‘trackies and trainers’ won’t have made it this far so well done. Retrace your steps back down the southern face of Beinn Ìme.
The third and final objective is The Cobbler (884m) a.k.a. Ben Arthur / Beinn Artair. It is named for its large rocky summit features which are supposed to represent a cobbler bending over his last (a tool used in shoemaking). Either way it’s worth the effort as the rocky summit provides excellent views of the surrounding terrain. Some steep and dangerous terrain encompasses the summit so if you witness a tourist attempting some gnarly freeride-hiking lines, probably best to just stick to the well-worn trail. Take the path past Arthur’s Seat (858m) to descend the north-eastern ridge to link up with the main trail that will meander its way back down to the car park.
This hike and guide were completed during summer weather conditions. This is just one opinion of this route. Make sure to do your own research by consulting local internet resources, mountain guides or guidebooks to evaluate other opinions so you can be best prepared for the terrain.
A Guide by Red
Written by Red Evans
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Chalets Climb | 1.78 mi | 2,549 ft | 27.0% |
| Old Military Rd Climb | 0.32 mi | 433 ft | 24.9% |
| Beinn Ime Ascent (snow) | 1.07 mi | 1,099 ft | 18.9% |
| Cobbler Steps Up | 0.15 mi | 279 ft | 34.3% |