A day walk in the Arrochar Alps taking in the Munros of Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ime and returning via the Cobbler path to Succoth

Date: 20 May 2024
Distance: 14.53km
Ascent: 1325m
Time: 6.8hrs
Hills: Beinn Narnain (Munro, 926m), Beinn Ime (Munro, 1,011m) 
Weather: Clammy and cool with cloud stubbornly below Munro height all day
Route: View on OS Maps

The mountain weather forecast promised an improving day with early clag clearing from the summits of the hills. Based on this I had relaxed drive over to the car park at Succoth, the traditional starting point for the Cobbler. I arrived at around 11:30 and easily got a parking spot on this midweek morning. It was humid and calm over Loch Long with the higher hilltops lost in the clouds.

I crossed the main road to pick up the well marked footpath that heads towards the Cobbler. A few paces on after a stream crossing there was a vague branch off through boggy ground which eventually became a soggy path leading straight up the hillside following the route of an old waterpipe, the foundations now the only thing remaining.

It was warm work climbing up through the trees but height was gained quickly and soon enough I emerged to more open ground, the path now wending its way up between patches of bluebells. Above a junction with a vehicle track the path had seen some construction work and now headed up towards the crags of Creag an Fithich.

As I approached the cloudbase I thought it prudent to take a short break and enjoy the views that had now opened up down the length of Loch Long.

Suitably refreshed I restarted the climb and soon found myself in the clag. I followed the track up to the intermediate summit of Cruach nam Miseag without getting any views around me. From here there was a brief descent before picking up a narrow path that clung precipitously to the eastern face of the Beinn Narnain as it found a route that wound between and over crags. There were no difficulties and I gained height quickly. Shortly before reaching the Spearhead I passed a pair of walkers heading down, the first other people I'd seen.

Out of the mist the Spearhead loomed dark and imposing, a towering buttress of rock that at first glance seems impassable. However, the path wends below the buttress and then climbs steeply up a grassy gully up the east side, soon emerging on top with just a short distance to the summit plateau of Beinn Narnain, the first Munro of the day.

I still had hope that the forecast clearing would arrive, so after a brief visit to the top of the hill I found myself a comfortable place to sit and eat my lunch and then read a few chapters of my book, Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. Before I knew it an hour had passed, but sadly there was no sign of a clearance or even a thinning of the clouds.

I was starting to feel a bit cold so packed up and headed off, passing by the trig point and summit cairn before picking up a path on the north side of the summit that started to wind down through boulders. It was long before I picked up a clear path that led all the way down to the bealach - one of a number of significant path workings that have taken place in the Arrochar Alps - making the place look more like the Lake District.

As I dropped down I started to get misty views of the crenelated summit of the Cobbler. 150m below the summit of Beinn Narnain and the views suddenly opened out. There was cloud billowing about the bealachs but Loch Long could be seen again, as well as the Cobbler and lower surrounding hills. A couple of guys were making their way up Beinn Narnain.

The winding path down to the bealach brought excellent views of the northeastern side of The Cobbler. To the north I could see beyond the Bealach a' Mhaim to where the winding path heading up Beinn Ime disappeared back into the mist. It didn't look like I'd be getting any summit views today...

Once down at the bealach I followed the clear track north, climbing Beinn Ime's gentle slopes and soon being enveloped back in the mist. I passed a few more hillwalkers but as the time approached 4pm it was clear most people were on their way back down. I reached the rocky summit cairn of Beinn Ime and paused for another break in the clouds. I was last here late in the afternoon in April 2009 when we had traversed over from diminutive Ben Vane.

Whilst I sat having a final snack break on top a couple of guys came up from the north. They were doing a similar route to my round of Ben Vane and Beinn Ime. After a brief pause at the top they carried on. I lingered a little longer to see if the stubborn cloud would ever lift - it didn't and so a few minutes later I found myself following them, retracing my steps back down to the Bealach a' Mhaim.

It was nice to drop back below the claustrophobic cloud and I could now enjoy the relatively long walk out that would see me pass between Beinn Narnain and The Cobbler before dropping down through the woods to Succoth.

There are some impressive erratics and other large boulders in the narrow gap between the two hills with the pass winding around and sometimes through these. Above me the last of the cloud was hanging about the Cobbler's spires, whilst Narnain continued to be shrouded. At least I hadn't missed the chance of a view!

I eventually reached the Narnain Boulders, from which you get the classic view back up to the Cobbler. I found a good perch here for a final snack break.

It seemed like the cloud was finally going to lift, but actually by the time I turned away from the Allt a' Bhalachain the tops were once again shrouded. The way led me down through more patches of bluebells and then plunged into the damps, following a series of long switchbacks that eventually brought me back down to the road.

I reached the car and changed out of my hill clothes before heading off around the end of Loch Long to find a fish supper in Arrochar. Down at sea level it was a mild, muggy evening with no breeze to keep the midgies away. I started off sitting on a bench by the shore but eventually had to walk and eat to escape the bites.

It was about this time, just after 7pm, that the much promised clearing occurred. Suddenly the clouds were rolled back to leave a sunny and warm evening. Apart from the midges, it was perfection... It made for a very pleasant drive home through the sunny southern Highlands, stopping at Loch Lomond to enjoy the views.