Beinn Stacach and Creag Mhòr from Glen Buckie

On the A84 between Strathyre and Lochearnhead, a junction beside Mhor 84 leads westwards on a narrow road towards Balquhidder. Follow this road through Balquhidder and, just beyond the church by the community hall, turn left onto an even narrower road heading south.

The road drops to cross the River Balvaig. Just before the bridge is a lay-by which can be used for the alternative approach to the hills from Loch Voil.

Cross the bridge, ignore the private road on the right towards Stronvar and Loch Voil Hostel, then keep right at the junction shortly beyond. This road twists and turns through woodland, passing several houses before entering Glen Buckie.

Continue along the glen to the end of the public road at Ballimore, where there is a small designated parking area with space for around four or five cars beside the entrance to Ballimore Farm.

From the parking area at the end of the public road, walk back uphill for a short distance towards the last house, with Creag Mhòr rising behind. Just before reaching the house, turn left onto a track 1 climbing uphill.

Above the house, the track comes to a junction 2. Turn left and pass through a high metal gate, which may be locked but has a smaller side gate for walkers. The track now heads westwards through another large metal gate 3, with the long eastern shoulder of Beinn Stacach coming into view ahead.

Continue along the track for around 2km as it climbs gently before dropping towards a large cattle shed. Beside the shed, a wooden bridge 4 crosses the Allt Fathan Glinne. The bridge is somewhat worn but remains crossable.

Once across the burn, leave the track and aim westwards over completely pathless ground. Initially damp and covered in thick grass, the terrain gradually begins to rise, though the gradient is never particularly steep.

At around 550m 5, as the slope begins to ease, traces of a faint path develop. Follow this along Beinn Stacach's broad, undulating eastern shoulder. The path tends to skirt around minor rises rather than crossing their tops, keeping unnecessary ascent to a minimum.

After a final short climb, reach Beinn Stacach's summit 6, also known as Stob Fear-tomhais. A trig point marks the top, beside which lies a rather untidy collection of discarded rolls of fencing wire. Views are extensive, particularly westwards towards Ben Lomond and north-west, where the Crianlarich Munros are laid out across the skyline.

Two old fence-lines, both in varying states of disrepair, run north-south across Beinn Stacach's summit. Although rather unsightly, they provide a useful navigational aid where the faint path alongside comes and goes.

From the summit, follow the fence-line northwards along the crest, gradually turning eastwards and ignoring two other fence-lines branching off to the west and north-west 7. Begin to lose height down Beinn Stacach's north-eastern shoulder until the fence reaches a shallow dip 8.

The fence continues over the next minor rise and can simply be followed. Alternatively, from the dip, head south-east down a shallow gully, then turn below some crags and pick up a faint path (possibly a deer trod), which contours then disappears as it drops towards Bealach Driseach 9.

Cross the bealach and meet another fence-line, this one in rather better condition, then follow it uphill towards Creag Mhòr. In places the fence takes a fairly steep line directly up the slope, while occasional faint traces of ATV tracks to the right offer easier-angled ground.

The fence-line leads over the minor summit of Creag an Fhlog 10 and close to Creag Mhòr's summit, with just a short walk over grass required to reach the highest point 11. There is no cairn or other obvious marker, just a couple of boulders embedded in the grass. The views are extensive, with Ben Vorlich and Stùc a' Chroin particularly prominent to the east.

Continue just beyond Creag Mhòr's summit as the ground drops into a shallow dip 12. From here, a small grassy gully descends to the right, with traces of a faint path, possibly a deer trod, providing a pleasant line downhill.

Below the gully, continue down the broad grassy hillside to meet another old fence-line. Follow this downhill to reach the last large metal gate 3 passed on the outward route, then retrace your steps along the track to Ballimore.

An alternative approach to Bealach Driseach and the hills can be made from the eastern end of Loch Voil.

Park in the lay-by just before the bridge over the River Balvaig, as mentioned above, then cross the bridge and turn immediately right onto a track heading westwards.

Keep right at the first junction 13 and continue for around 1km to another junction 14 near some caravans. Turn left here and follow the track uphill, continuing for a little over 2km to where it reaches a sharp bend 15 near another caravan.

Just before the bend, leave the track and pick up a faint path heading uphill through the forest. The path can be somewhat overgrown and wet underfoot, but continues to the edge of the forest and a deer fence. Pass through the fence and continue onto Bealach Driseach 9.

From Bealach Driseach, Beinn Stacach and Creag Mhòr can each be climbed separately as there-and-back trips from the bealach