Photographs, route description and map of The Cobbler ( Ben Arthur )in the "Arrochar Alps" of Argylleshire in the West of Scotland

Route Description and Map for Ben Arthur

Route Description and Map

for Ben Arthur - "The Cobbler"

Route Description for Ben Arthur ( The Cobbler ):

Location: Argyll
Map: OS Landranger 56
Distance: 9 miles ( 15km )
Time: 57 hours
Grade: Serious mountain walk

Inventing personalities for mountains is foolish but there is little doubt that some hills do have character. A good ease in point is the Cobbler, near Arrochar, a hill often described as audacious and impertinent. Despite its relatively low height of 2,900ft/884m it's an awesome peak and even has the impudence to make us rock climb to reach its summit.
The Cobbler dominates its neighbours despite its size, but it's the outlandish proﬁle that gives it its commonly used name — some think it resembles a cobbler working at his last. Its Sunday title is Ben Arthur but I don't know anyone who calls it that.
There are three distinct tops, the left one formed into a leaning pyramid; the Central Peak, the true summit, is a tiny exposed platform; while the North Peak is formed by an immense overhanging prow, a remarkable feature that boasts many of the mountain’s best rock-climbs.
Snow and ice on the path that runs up the hill’s eastern corrie reminded me of another reason this hill is special. This was the mountain that inspired the late WH Murray to become a mountaineer. Murray, arguably the ﬁnest of all Scottish mountain writers, had overheard a conversation between two people and was mesmerised by their discussion of a climb in Wester Ross. It had never occurred to him that here was a whole new world of which he knew nothing, a world that was close at hand. The only mountain he knew of was the Cobbler, so he went there,
in ordinary shoes and clothes. He found the mountain covered in snow but carried on, soon ﬁnding himself in icy conditions in the corrie that leads to the summit ridge. He was frightened by the ice and the exposure but continued to the top where his trepidation melted away as he gazed over a panorama of hills and mountains spread before him like a white-topped sea. In his own words, he was “hooked for life".
That experience eventually proﬁted all of us for Bill went on to become a renowned mountaineer and writer and his books became classics.
I had climbed up from Loch Long alongside the Allt a’ Bhalachain, past the Narnain Boulders and into the corrie, where long icicles hung from the crags and spindrift blew off the summit ridge like spumes of smoke. Below the ice-encrusted prow of the North Peak I re-lived something of Murray’s trepidation. This is an awesome place of rock and ice where an eroded path climbed steeply through the snow wreaths to the summit ridge. With the hard work over I followed the icy path through the rocks and boulders to the top of the North Peak, a natural eyrie.
Ben Lomond and its loch dominates the view to the south and to the north and east Ben Ime and Beinn Narnain stand out against the jumble of mountains beyond. Across the corrie the crags of the Central Peak rose high above the dark arm of Loch Long.
For most walkers this, effectively, is the summit of the Cobbler. The Central Peak is a little higher but the route to the top isn’t too evident and involves rock climbing. From the summit ridge a window in the rock above you represents the portal to the top. You have to squeeze through this hole to ﬁnd a narrow ledge that traverses off to the left. By following this around the back of the rock, you'll ﬁnd a couple of easy moves take you on to the small summit platform. In winter conditions it can be particularly awkward and I was happy enough to ignore it, ﬁghting off
the temptation to think the mountain had defeated me.

Route: Start and finish at the car park beside A83. 2km W of Arrochar ( GR: NN2B7040 ).
Cross the road and follow the path through the forest beside the Allt e‘Bhalachain to a small dam.
Cross the burn above the dam to gain the path that runs alongside the NE side of the stream past the Narnain Boulders towards the obvious col between the Cobbler and its eastern neighbour, Beinn Narnain.
Before the col bear left and cross the burn again, climbing up into the rock-strewn corrie below the overhanging prow of the North Peak.
Climb up steeply on an eroded path below the prow and on to the summit ridge. Follow the path up and over slabby rocks and boulders to the north peak.
The true summit of the mountain is on the Centrai Peak, but involves scrambling moves that can be very difficult under icy conditions.
Walkers should return to the ridge and descend by the route of ascent