Photographs, walking route descriptions and maps for the Luss Hills above Loch Lomond

Location: Glen Luss, Argyll
Map: OS Landranger ( GH291971)
|Distance: 12miles ( 19km )
Time: 5hours 30 minutes
Terrain: tracks and paths

While the hills surrounding Glen Luss on the west side of Loch Lomond are relatively modest, they are surprisingly steep-sided. The grassy terrain makes pleasant if sporadically boggy going, and the hills offer excellent exercise when poor weather makes travelling furher afield less desirable.
A variety of combinations are possible, the longest of which takes in six Grahams ( peaks measuring 2000-2500ft ) and many lesser tops in an impressive 36km round.
This route combines shapely Beinn Eich ( Horse Hill ) with Doune Hill, the highest hill in the area, with an optional extension to Cruach an t-Sidhein ( Heap of the Fairies ) on route. The only slight downside is the road used for approach and descent, but using a bike takes the sting out of the slog once over the initial hill above Luss, and the return route is a doddle.
From the main car park in Luss go south to Luss primary school. Take the access road to the wooden bridge over the A82 and ascend the Glen Luss road to Glenmollochan Farm. Beyond the farm a track branches off the road at a gate and ascends Glen Mollochan towards Doune Hill. Where the track fades halfway along. avoid the boggier sections of the glen ﬂoor before the watershed by sticking to the higher ground.
A grassy path follows the right side of the tree-filled burn between the two summits of Doune Hill to the steeper upper slopes and the rounded summit of the right-hand top, then the main summit topped by a trig point and views north to the Arrochar Alps. Descend south-west towards Beinn Lochain.
where there is a choice of routes. Cruach an t-Sidhein can be gained via the col to the west, followed by a contouring route back to the ridge leading to Beinn Eich, or a descent of Beinn Lochain's south ridge can be made direct to this point. A short ascent leads to a grassy crest and at small cairn marking the top of Beinn Eich with views to Loch Lomond and its islands and south to Tinto Hill, the Clyde, Arran and Ailsa Craig.
Descend more or less directly down the south-east ridge heading for Edentaggart farm in Glen Luss, crossing a wall at a stile and gaining a path skirting the farm to the north. This gains the access track, which you then follow back to the road.

Location: Loch Lomond, Arygll and Bute
Map: OS Landranger ( GR 363 883 )
Distance: 10 miles ( 16.5km )
Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
Terrain: road and path

The most southerly of the so-called Luss Hills offer an excellent hillwalk with fine views down the Clyde and across Loch Lomond. This horseshoe route ascends the hills surrounding the Finlas Water reservoir and while the hills are rounded and not particularly high, the glens dividing them are deep and steep sided, with well-defined and rocky corries.
Park in a lay-by at the start of the A81|7 to Garelochhead, where it leaves the A82 at the south end of Loch Lomond.
Walk back down the road a short distance and follow the private road on the left to Shegarton, Shemore and the Finlas Water treatment plant.
Ascend steeply to Shemore Farm and go through the gate on the left, passing a cottage and a hillfort beyond with prominent circular fortifications, to where the road levels out and ascends more gently to the dam.
Follow the road to its end and go round the back of the buildings to ascend the left side of the grassy dam to an old metal stile giving access to the open hillside. Ascend steadily rightwards to gain the broad ridge and fenceline, with views north over the reservoir to the highest hill on the route. This hill is unnamed on the map, but has a spot height of 693m / 2274ft.
The going is quite marshy initially but soon dries out, following sheep paths and ATV tracks alongside the fence and round the craggy Coire Cuinne to the summit of Batcnock ( 638m / 2093ft ).
Follow the fence north then sharply west to the top of the unnamed hill, marked by a small cairn. Leave the main path, continuing north then east beside the fence and descend steeply to the col, then over point 657m / 2156ft to the top of Beinn Ruisg ( 595m / 1952ft ). From here the route ﬂattens into a long moorland ridge, characterised by peat haggs on its southern slopes.
The fenceline sticks to the ridge and a surprisingly pleasant line can be followed until the penultimate top, where the fence veers off north towards Glen Luss. The entire ridge offers an unrestricted view over Loch Lomond and the line of the Highland Boundary Fault Continue on the ridge to reach the final highpoint at Creachan Hill ( 536m / 1759ft ). Its south~eastern flanks are surprisingly rocky, so it's best to pass directly over and descend to a wall markingthe old upper boundary of Shemore Farm. Follow the wall down for a short way before descending directly through rough sheep grazing to gain the access road.

Location: Loch Lomond
Map: 0S Landranger 56 ( GR 310987 )
Distance: 7.5 miles ( 12km )
Time: 4hours 30 minutes
Terrain: open hillside

Some hillwalks never lose their interest, no matter how many times you do them, and this round over the hills on the north side of Glen Douglas is a good example. Tullich Hill, Ben Reoch and Beinn Bhreac are characterful, grassy and welcoming in their own way, and the location on the western rim of Loch Lomond and the resulting views are better than those found on many a Munro. It's a winning combination.
A large parking area directly below the last conifer plantation before Tullich Farm and the houses at lnvergroin provides the best starting point.
From here continue on foot up the road towards Tullich Hill and the house and farm, and cross the road bridge over the burn. Just beyond the bridge.
go through the second gate on the right and ascend directly to an opening in the fence above. Continue on the same line to another fence with a gate, going through this to open hillside. The broad south-eastern ridge of Tullich Hill becomes better deﬁned as height is gained and leads to the summit area, which has a number of high points separated by a small lochan. Tullich Hill is a Graham by status and the summit is the westernmost of these points. marked by a cairn of quartz and mica schist rocks. After soaking up the ﬁne panorama north across Loch Long to the Cobbler and its extended Arrochar family, descend to the col below Ben Reoch, keeping south-east to avoid the line of small cliffs.
From the col an initially steep ascent in the vicinity of a line of old fenceposts leads to the cairned summit of Ben Reoch and ﬁne views east to Ben Lomond and along the length of the loch.
Drop down south and east over a rocky little top on the ridge to the col below Beinn Bhreac. A steady ascent up the broad rock-strewn ridge leads to the summit, marked by a trig point on a small crag. Beinn Bhreac is also a Graham and probably offers even better views over Loch Lomond.
Head west-south-west from the summit to gain the western top corner of the conifer plantation and follow it down towards lnvergroin and a gate.
Turn left after the gate and continue alongside the conifers back to the parking area.