Stùc a' Chroin (, '

cloven hoof A cloven hoof, cleft hoof, divided hoof, or split hoof is a hoof split into two toes. Members of the mammalian order Artiodactyla that possess this type of hoof include cattle, deer, pigs, antelopes, gazelles, goats, and sheep. The two digits ...

peak') (also translated as 'hill of the little sheepfold' or 'peak of danger') is a mountain in the Breadalbane region of the southern

Scottish Highlands The Highlands (; , ) is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Scottish Lowlands, Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Scots language, Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gae ...

. It is a

Munro A Munro (; ) is defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over , and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) official list of Munros; there is no explicit topographical prominence requirement. The best known Munro is Ben Nevi ...

, with a height of . It lies a short distance south of Ben Vorlich and east of Strathyre. The boundary between the council areas of

Perth and Kinross Perth and Kinross (; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. It is bordered by Highland (council area), Highland and Aberdeenshire to the north, Angus, Scotland, Angus, Dundee, and F ...

and

Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...

passes through the summit of the peak, and the town of

Callander Callander (; ) is a small town in the council area of Stirling (district), Stirling in Scotland, situated on the River Teith. The town is located in the historic county of Perthshire and is a popular tourist stop to and from the Highlands. De ...

lies to the south. Stùc a' Chroin is most often climbed together with Ben Vorlich from Ardvorlich on Loch Earnside to the north. The normal routes of ascent is over the summit of Ben Vorlich and down its south west ridge to the Bealach an Dubh Choirein. From this bealach a series of rough paths cut very steeply up the right side of the prominent buttress, involving scrambling, to the summit of Stùc a' Chroin. Returning from the bealach, Ben Vorlich can be skirted utilising a faint, boggy path traversing the grassy slopes on its north west, eventually re-joining the initial ascent path. An alternative is from Ardchullarie on Loch Lubnaig up the forest path to the head of Glen Ample and over Beinn Each, a Corbett. The linking ridge is very rough and rocky. On return, the open west slopes of Beinn Each can be descended, encountering the remarkable eggbox terrain of a large rock slope failure (see Lochearnhead, Glen Ample)Jarman D (2007): Glen Ample. In Mass Movements in Great Britain (ed. RG Cooper), Geological Conservation Review Series 33, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough, pp. 82-91. A longer, unfrequented route of ascent to Stùc a' Chroin from Arivurichardich ascends the mountain's south east ridge.

References

* The Munros, SMC Hillwalkers Guide: Donald Bennett et al.: Munros Marilyns of Scotland Mountains and hills of the Southern Highlands Mountains and hills of Perth and Kinross Mountains and hills of Stirling (council area) {{Highland-geo-stub