Creag Mhòr (Glen Lochay)

Creag Mhòr, at 1,047 metres, is one of the remotest mountains in the Southern Highlands, standing around five miles from the nearest public road at the head of Glen Lochay, forming a steep-sided ridge usually climbed together with neighbouring Beinn Heasgarnich.

The route starts from a car park in Glen Lochay, some distance short of Kenknock since parking at the road end is no longer possible. A hydro track leads through a gate in a deer fence, from where a fenceline is followed uphill onto open ground, with the craggy slopes of Sròn nan Eun rising ahead. The route climbs diagonally to pass the first broken crags, aiming west-north-west up grassy slopes below higher crags, before a wide grassy break in the cliffs allows a steep ascent onto easier ground and the ridge of Sròn nan Eun — from here the upper cone of Creag Mhòr comes into view, still some distance away, with a good path leading steadily to the summit and superb views down Loch Lyon and north to the Central Highlands beyond Rannoch Moor.

From the summit, walkers descend north-west towards the col with the subsidiary top of Meall Tionail before heading east to Beinn Heasgarnich, crossing the boggy Bealach na Baintighearna — care is needed here, as a direct line north-east from Creag Mhòr's summit should be avoided due to steep, rocky, and dangerous ground.

The combined round taking in both Munros from Glen Lochay is around 28 kilometres with roughly 1,460 metres of ascent, typically nine to eleven hours given the remote, often pathless terrain.

This is tough hillwalking requiring genuine experience — much of the ground between the two summits and on the descent is pathless, rough, and demands excellent navigation skills, particularly given the peat bogs and steep-sided ravines that characterise this remote corner of the Southern Highlands.

Parking in Glen Lochay is free but some distance from the mountain itself, adding to an already long day; there is no public transport to the start.