3 11km /6.8 miles /5.3 hours Ascent 1241m/4072ft
Ian Battersby uncovers the power hidden within a mountain
BEN CRUACHAN storms up from woods, lochs and glens to join an assorted bunch of near neighbours, whose pointed peaks pierce the skies of an undulating ridge, and Cruachan, at 1126m, reigns supreme. Energy is needed to power up surging gradients further defended by an army of trees and tangled undergrowth. But once on top, enjoy the scene, and gloat in the downhill dash, converting potential energy gains into smiles.
Whilst Cruachan is happy to display a wondrous landscape from on high, it is more reluctant to give away the resourceful secret buried within. Also known as the ‘hollow mountain’, there are few clues to give away its adopted role. There is a reservoir dam, and power lines make the climb, but hidden inside the belly of the mountain a power station stands by, with water acting as fuel. In parallel to climbing the peak, the water here is powered up to the reservoir in quiet morning hours, and there it rests, awaiting demand and the fated downward drive through a spin of turbines there to change potential energy gained into electrical power.
ROUTE
Start/finish Falls of Cruachan railway station GR: NN080267
1 NN080267 Head up steps to station and pass through the metal gate at the top signposted to Ben turn left up yellow painted steps. Leave the steps where they bend amongst the trees, the path turns N, foliage. Exit the woods using a stile at with waterfalls now on show, before arriving at a sealed lane and bridge.
2 NN081277 and follow the lane up to the to the end of the dam, where a metal with fabulous views of the reservoir and the pyramidal summit of Ben metal gate at the western end of the but soon turning N alongside railed bridge with a small wind generator, noting the slope on the left
3 NN082294 Head WNW up this path, following the N bank of the stream. The path is reasonable over fairly easy ground Reservoir nestled below its ring of mountains growing in stature, all the while getting deeper into the path turns W at around 650m with 200m of steep ascent ending at a small pool nestled atop Bealach an Lochain.
4 NN070298 The final climb is a no-me
