Park and climb: Munro’s half the effort but twice the fun
Graceful peak that should not be taken for granted
Few hills in the Central Highlands feel as remote as Stuchd an Lochain.
The hill rises above Loch an Daimh, deep along Glen Lyon. It’s hidden up an offshoot of the minor road that runs the length of the glen to Loch Lyon.
Vehicle access to the glen from the east is from Fortingall. From the south, the Ben Lawers road that runs from the north shore of Loch Tay takes you eventually to Bridge of Balgie, where it meets the Glen Lyon road. Both routes are along twisting, narrow single track that take an age to negotiate – far longer than the distance would at first suggest.
It’s ironic then, given the effort to get there, that Stuchd an Lochain presents one of the quickest ascents of any Munro. The Giorra Dam, at which you park, lies at 410m ( 1,345ft) above sea level – so almost half the hard work is already done.
Even in winter – assuming you’re first able to get to the hill along untreated roads – an ascent shouldn’t take much longer than 3.5 hours. As a result, many baggers include an ascent of Meall Buidhe, which lies on the north side of the loch and is also accessed from the dam. The two together make a hill day, more or less.
Stuchd an Lochain – like any Munro – shouldn’t be underestimated though, especially in winter conditions. The initial slopes are pretty steep, and there’s another very steep section to climb to Pt 888 on Creag an Fheadain.
The best feature of the Munro is the beautiful little Lochan nan Cat that nestles in its northern corrie and gives the hill its name. The summit perches airily on crags directly above the lochan.
My own favourite view of the hill is from quite a distance away – from the A82 on Rannoch Moor. As you head south on the road and the Munros of Beinn an Dothaidh, Beinn Achaladair and Beinn a’ Chreachain loom into view, just to their left is Stuchd an Lochain, a graceful, low-angled and perfectly symmetrical pyramid.