Beinn Sheasgarnich and Creag Mhòr

Killin sits at the western end of Loch Tay, where a bridge at the northern edge of the town crosses the River Lochay. Roads run upstream on both sides of the river: the north-bank road is shorter but narrower, while the south-bank road passes the Moirlanich Longhouse, a National Trust for Scotland property

The two roads merge further up Glen Lochay and continue to a designated car park, reached shortly after crossing a cattle grid and just before Kenknoch Farm. This is the usual start point, particularly if intending to cycle along the hydro track beneath Beinn Sheasgarnich. Although the road continues beyond this point, parking past the car park is no longer permitted.

If not cycling, an alternative start point is available higher up the hydro road linking Glen Lochay with Glen Lyon, near its high point. This road is in poor condition and badly degraded in places, and while access is possible, care is required.

From the car park, the road is followed further up Glen Lochay for just over 1km to a junction , where cattle are often encountered. Turning right, the route heads through a solidly built estate gate carrying prominently worded signage. This initial section is notably steep, and while rideable for strong cyclists, it is likely to involve some pushing for many.

The badly eroded road climbs around 100m to reach a second junction . Here the road is left in favour of a hydro track heading west. Once on this track, progress becomes much easier, making for a pleasant cycle.

The hydro track crosses a bridge, passes over a pipe and a gravelled area, then continues south-west for around 3km, threading through several gates. It curves westwards into a sheltered nook beneath a small dam on the Allt Bad Odhar , a convenient point to leave bikes if using them.

After crossing the bridge, the track is left and the ascent begins on grassy, pathless slopes, trending north-west. Faint trods appear from time to time, and the climb is generally pleasant. A short stretch of damp, flatter ground is crossed before the final rise leads onto Beinn Sheasgarnich’s broad crest .

Turning right, a faint path follows the gently curving ridge north-east, then north, for around 1km over grass and gravel to reach Beinn Sheasgarnich’s summit , marked by a rather tired cairn.

For those not intending to cycle, an alternative approach starts near the high point of the road linking Glen Lochay with Glen Lyon. A rough parking area overlooking Lochan Learg nan Lunn provides the most convenient place to leave a vehicle.

From the road's high point, Beinn Sheasgarnich stands clearly to the west, while on the opposite side of the road rises the Corbett Meall nan Subh.

Meall nan Subh

To include Meall nan Subh, the ascent begins directly from the rough parking area. Initially following a fence-line, a short out-and-back climb over largely featureless, wet grassy slopes gains the summit plateau, with no paths to follow. The line taken is broadly north-east, and while the highest point is easy to identify in clear conditions, the undulating plateau can prove testing in mist.

A small cairn, little more than a few stones perched on a rock, marks the summit and offers pleasing views down Glen Lyon.

With only around 300m of ascent over less than 1.5km, Meall nan Subh's summit can be reached in around half an hour by fit walkers or hill runners.

Beinn Sheasgarnich

The route to Beinn Sheasgarnich begins from the highest point on the road , approximately 500m north-west of the parking area. This ascent is also largely pathless, though occasional deer trods ease progress across damp, grass- and heather-covered ground.

Route choice is flexible, generally following the upper tributaries of the Allt Tarsuinn upstream. Higher up, a more direct line can be taken up grassy slopes, weaving between scattered rocky outcrops to gain Beinn Sheasgarnich’s summit plateau.

The faint path along the flat, broad crest of Beinn Sheasgarnich is followed southwards for around 1km. The route then begins to turn south-west, still following a path as it winds through gently flowing topography onto Stob an Fhir-Bhogha .

A gradual descent follows, turning more westwards. Steeper sections are avoided as the path traverses around them before crossing the top of Sròn Tairbh . Beyond this, the descent continues towards the bealach below Creag Mhòr, with the path gradually fading into grass.

Creag Mhòr rises steeply above, its north-eastern face appearing both impressive and intimidating.

Rather than tackling the mountain directly from the bealach, the burn draining Creag Mhòr’s northern corrie is followed upstream, keeping to its northern bank before ascending on pathless grassy ground. The climb is straightforward, gaining Creag Mhòr’s northern shoulder at a height of just over 900m .

On the crest, a mix of grass and boulders leads onto the rolling summit plateau, where a cairn marks the highest point . In mist, the subtle topography of the summit crest can prove slightly confusing - there are a couple of raised patches of stones - the cairn sits on the most easterly of these.

Instead of returning directly into Glen Lochay, Munro Top baggers might wish to detour via Stob nan Clach, Creag Mhòr's southern top.

To do this, from Creag Mhòr's summit, a line is taken south-west between minor landforms, passing a tiny lochan and picking up a faint path. This descends and curves southwards above Coire Cheathaich, crossing a broad bealach scattered with small pools before rising again to reach Stob nan Clach .

For other hillwalkers, a more direct return is made by following the obvious path heading south-east from Creag Mhòr's summit along the mountain's well-formed shoulder. The path follows the crest, descending gently at first with a few minor rises that it passes over or skirts around.

The ground levels to cross a shallow bealach, before the path then bypasses some of the higher ground of Sròn nan Eun .

Beyond this shoulder, the descent steepens as the route drops down the hillside. The path gradually becomes fainter as thicker grass is encountered lower down.

At around the 550m contour, and once past the steepest ground, leave the path (if it has not already disappeared) and head for the hydro track beside the small dam on the Allt Bad a' Mhaim , from where just over 2km remains to return to the dam where bikes were left earlier in the day.