Meall[1] nan Tarmachan or The Tarmachan Hills as they are commonly called lie to the west of main Lawers[2]ridge[3] and rise steeply above the Lochan na Lairge pass which divides the mountians. The Tarmachan Hills are a group of 4 peaks which have a very distinctive outline and are well veiws from the village Killin. The highest point of this twisting ridge is the peak Meall nan Tarmachan and is the only munro with the other peaks having top status. The terrain is generally easy to moderate grassy slopes but has many crags and knolls that require careful navigation in bad[4] weather. If traversing the whole of Tarmachan Ridge easy scrambling[5] experience is required.
Usual access is usually from from a rough track[6] that branches off the road to Glen[7] Lyon approx half a mile north west from the National trust Visitor Centre where a disused quarry track branches from the road leading to Glen Lyon[8]. From here a path[9] leads up the grassy slopes to reach the southern end of Meall nan Tarmachan's ridge which then is traversed taking in all of the 4 hills. Alternatively, a quiter ascent is from large cairn[10] at the top of Lochan na Lairige road NN593416[11] which leads up the northern ridge of Creag[12] an Lochain onto Lochan an Tairbh-uisge[13].
The view from the top is extensive. To the east the view is constrained beyond Beinn Ghlas[14] & Ben Lawers[15].North lies the Glen Lyon Horseshoe, while to the west the views are more distant and extensive, to Ben More[16].
Basic
Meall[1] nan Tarmachan or The Tarmachan Hills as they are commonly called lie to the west of main Lawers[2]ridge[3] and rise steeply above the Lochan na Lairge pass which divides the mountians. The Tarmachan Hills are a group of 4 peaks which have a very distinctive outline and are well veiws from the village Killin. The highest point of this twisting ridge is the peak Meall nan Tarmachan and is the only munro with the other peaks having top status. The terrain is generally easy to moderate grassy slopes but has many crags and knolls that require careful navigation in bad[4] weather. If traversing the whole of Tarmachan Ridge easy scrambling[5] experience is required.
Usual access is usually from from a rough track[6] that branches off the road to Glen[7] Lyon approx half a mile north west from the National trust Visitor Centre where a disused quarry track branches from the road leading to Glen Lyon[8]. From here a path[9] leads up the grassy slopes to reach the southern end of Meall nan Tarmachan's ridge which then is traversed taking in all of the 4 hills. Alternatively, a quiter ascent is from large cairn[10] at the top of Lochan na Lairige road NN593416[11] which leads up the northern ridge of Creag[12] an Lochain onto Lochan an Tairbh-uisge[13].
The view from the top is extensive. To the east the view is constrained beyond Beinn Ghlas[14] & Ben Lawers[15].North lies the Glen Lyon Horseshoe, while to the west the views are more distant and extensive, to Ben More[16].