A loop around the steep-sided Corbett of Stob a' Choin from Inverlochlarig with beautiful views on a clear April day

Date: 06 April 2025
Distance: 11.69km
Ascent: 920m
Time: 6.2hrs
Hills: Stob a' Choin (Corbett) 
Weather: Cold start with early mist clearing from the hills to leave a fine, sunny day with a cold east wind
Route: View on OS Maps

With an Omega Block continuing to dominate the weather patterns I was keen to get out into the hills for the first time in a few weeks. After a somewhat lacklustre late winter, April came good and the country basked in seemingly endless sunny skies. There was an easterly wind keeping temperatures in check, but as the weekend approached even that was forecast to drop.

I headed out early on Sunday morning, driving through a sleepy Bridge of Allan, Doune and Callendar before passing by Loch Lubnaig where tendrils of mist were just lifting off the water. The external temperature slowly dropped as I got further into the hills, until the ice warning came on just as a gritter passed me coming in the opposite direction. The sunshine was beautiful with the highest mountains holding onto a cap of cloud.

I turned onto the minor road to Balqhuidder and Loch Voil which seemed quieter now that the camping restrictions have been implemented. I was last down here in May 2010 to climb the Falloch Munros on a similarly sunny spring day. Thankfully there was little early track and I made slow but steady progress down to the large parking area just short of Inverlochlarig. Arriving at 8:30 I was surprised to find an already quite busy car park with one group heading off and another guy getting booted up.

I was soon sorted and after quickly checking the map headed along the road to Inverlochlarig farm where helpful signposts and open gates guide you through the farmyard without much fuss. The morning air was cool with the sun only now just peeking above the hills to the east. It made for very pleasant walking conditions and after leaving the last of the trees behind, I came out into the open glen with the River Larig running cheerfully alongside the track.

My target for the day, the Corbett of Stob a' Choin, dominates the southern side of the Larig. Its steep and imposing looking north ridge rises steeply from the river right to the summit in what appears to be a single line. In fact there are some steep and difficult crags about a third of the way up so the recommended route is to traverse the northeastern flanks to gain the ridge above these difficulties.

I crossed the river by the handy footbridge and then followed the line of an old stone wall over boggy ground to a point where I could start to rise up into the steep coire below the Bealach Coire an Laoigh. Above me a small herd of deer ran off, seeking steeper ground to the east.

The steep slopes meant I gained height quickly and soon I was looking back down to the sunlit River Larig and the Falloch hills to the north which still retained their caps of cloud. A guy had followed me to the bridge but I could see that he was now following the loop in the opposite direction, climbing up steep slopes to the east.

After crossing a fence and picking my way over the allt coming down through a narrow, dark ravine, I headed up into a side coire below the north ridge. The day was warming up nicely and I as I passed from shade back to sunlight I paused here on a boulder to sit and have a snack and drink from the flask. There were a few bird calls but otherwise it was peaceful.

The headwall of the coire was incredibly steep but grassy and I carefully made my way up, eventually emerging on a broad shoulder of the north ridge. I was a bit unsure if I had completely avoided the crags but now could see the ridge rising grassy above me with no further difficulties besides the unrelenting steepness.

The views from here were great and after pausing to take them in I headed up the steep slopes. There wasn't any evidence of a path so it was just a case of picking the best route and making slow but steady progress.

Eventually the steepness relented and I popped out on the north top of Stob a' Choin. It had taken a good couple of hours to get here but the effort was worth it for this must be one of the finest viewpoints in this part of the Highlands. As I'd climbed the lingering cloud had finally blown through and now it was clear with views across the ranges.

I paused here to take a well earned break. On the top there was a fairly brisk and cold east wind, so I sought some shelter just below the summit where in the sun it felt very pleasant. Cloud was lifting off most of the surrounding mountaintops including the nearby Crianlarich Munros as well as the Trossachs, Ben Lomond and the more distant Arrochar Alps.

It was then just a fairly short walk down and out of a hollow and back up to reach the true summit of Stob a' Choin. Here there was a narrow fin of rock with a small cairn.

Once again I found some shelter on the southwest side of the summit and paused here for an early lunch break. The other hillwalker now appeared on the east ridge and slowly made his way to the summit of the Corbett.

From this vantage point I could see parts of Loch Katrine, its silvered surface reflecting the bright sun. To the east I could see the very end of Loch Voil and it was evident that there was more cloud over to the east, a darker bank of haze on the far horizon.

The steep characteristic of Stob a' Choin proved to be the case on this side also as I now descended southeast to loop around onto the east ridge, Craig nan Saighhead. The terrain between here and there was quite complex but an old fence line made it fairly easy to drop steeply down into the Bealach Coire an Laoigh. Near the bottom of this slope I said hello to the other hillwalker as he climbed steeply up to the summit.

After crossing the bottom of the gulley it was a steep climb back up the far side. This was a slightly shorter though and soon I was on the rolling ridge that lead south and east in the direction of Loch Katrine.

As I followed the high ground over a series of lumpy tops I got good views back to the summit of Stob a' Choin where the hillwalker was enjoying the views and solitude. This area gave a better angle onto the end of Loch Katrine, with Loch Arklet sitting below the broad outline of Ben Lomond.

As I reached the southern end of the ridge I crossed another gulley and emerged just south of Point 836 where I paused for a second lunch in the sunshine. The views to the south across Loch Katrine and the Trossachs were spectacular.

I watched a couple of boats ply the waters of the loch before packing up and turning northward to now descend back towards the River Larig.

Once again I was following a line of fenceposts, and a faint track emerged as I joined back on the main loop to the Corbett. This made the going a bit easier for a while.

Nevertheless, the terrain still offered some steep sections, which required careful descent on some steep and slippery grass. It was less unrelenting than the ascent, but still provided some moments where caution was necassary.

As I got further north I started to get views onto the steep slopes running up to Stob a' Choin. Some sections I had walked up earlier looked impossibly steep: a trick of the perspective.

Lower down the ridge broaded out but was still steep in places. I aimed for the top of the forestry and enjoyed the views over Inverlochlarig and towards Loch Voil. There was no hint now of the earlier cloud in gloriously blue skies. Looking back gave me a new perspective on the jumbled collection of summits that make up the Stob a' Choin round.

Eventually I came down to a meeting of various fences, marking the spot at which I would leave the ridge and drop back down steep and wet slopes to the River Larig. This slope hadn't looked too bad earlier but proved to once again be fairly steep. I angled towards the footbridge, looking forward to a sit by the river in the sunshine.

Once down at the river I crossed the footbridge and then found a nice boulder sitting mid-stream to sit on and enjoy the last of my food in the hot sunshine with my feet soaking in the cold mountains waters.

After this it was a simple case of following the track abck to the car, passing back through the farm and saying hello to various groups of hillwalkers and people out walking their dogs. Despite the date it felt like a summer's afternoon.

The drive back home was fine but the summer theme continued in Callendar where the ice creams were doing a roaring trade and the traffic volume felt more like August than April!