BEN CHONZIE, SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
START/FINISH: car park by Loch Turret dam (NN821264) Distance: 19km/12 miles Ascent: 1091m/3579ft
Duration: 6-8 hours
Difficulty: 7/10
There are some Munros that enjoy celebrity status in hillwalking circles – you’ll know them by reputation, even if you’ve never managed to climb them yourself. Beinn Alligin is famous for its scrambly horns. Liathach for its ridge. The In Pinn for being just downright terrifying. Ben Chonzie is a name with a legend attached as well, but not one that strikes fear and awe into mountainloving hearts. Instead, you’re more likely to hear it dismissed as a lump: the most featureless and boring of the Munros.
So, how much truth is there in the gossip-mongering? Well, in some respects Ben Chonzie falls short of the alpine ideal. At 931m, it just sneaks its way onto the Munrobagging lists. It’s also famously easy to climb (at least from Glen Lednock) thanks to a high start point, clear paths and a gentle gradient. The ratio of grass to rock is too high for mountain purists, and the summit lacks spiky splendour. Some argue that Ben Chonzie is simply too accessible – a couple of hours from Edinburgh and Glasgow, it’s popular with day-trippers. That doesn’t mean you should dismiss it.
There’s no exposure to speak of – think whaleback rather than tightrope – but the loneliness of the location and the sweeping mountain views will certainly have you questioning Chonzie’s dim reputation.
Approached in the right way, this maligned Munro can still deliver a superb mountain day. The key is to bypass the schlep up from Glen Lednock and tackle Ben Chonzie via Glen Turret in the south-east; a quieter and more rewarding route. Not only will you get to admire the peak from its most photogenic angle, you’ll also have the chance to weave it into a respectable 19km circuit that ticks off the summits of Auchanfree Hill and Carn Chois.
The return leg over bleakly beautiful Auchanfree Hill is equally light on human footfall, although you might spot the tracks of some smaller, fluffier mountaineers.
This area is famous for its large population of mountain hares. Other local residents include ring ouzels, meadow pipits, short-eared owls, peregrine falcons and golden eagles. This side of Ben Chonzie is popular only with wildlife and boring only by reputation.