The Cobbler Hike

The 2,900ft, 884m The Cobbler / Ben Arthur mountain is 44 miles northwest of Glasgow, at Arrochar, 2 miles west of Tarbet at Loch Lomond, on the A83 Road up to Inveraray. Regular Buses run between Glasgow and Inveraray stopping at the Arrochar Hiking Car Park.

This is not a Munro as is just under 3,000ft, but is one of the most popular Mountains in Scotland due to its looks.

There is a safe Tourist Trail all the way. The Tougher Trail with a bit of Scrambling is fairly safe in Summer when no Ice. Spikes and Ice Axe may be needed from October to mid April.

For Images on Mobile swipe right

Click On Map for area Attractions

Camping & Touring Parks in area

Large OS Map

The best place to get a good view of the Mountains is from Arrochar looking across Loch Long. Large Image from Arrochar with paths.

The top image is of one of two large Car Parks around below the Mountains, right where the Trail starts. These are Pay and Display Car Parks, about £1 per hour. The Cobbler will average 5 hours up and back, longer if you want a few long breaks. There is a Coin Machine and Credit Card Machine, or you can pay by Phone, most Phones get a reception here.

The start of the Trail is right across from the second Car Park and Bus Stop.

The Trail has a good sign at the start, with the first section Zig Zagging up through the Woodland, allowing a steady hike much of the way.

You pass a Summer Seat where the Path crosses a Forest Road, walk along the Forest Road about 100 yards west past a Telecommunications Tower then up another Woodland Path.

Once out onto the Hillside, there is a good steady Trail straight up to The Cobbler.

You pass a small Dam on the Trail, some people cross over at the Dam and go up the West Ridge, normally people that have been up a few times and looking for a different route.

The Main Trail takes you to the bottom of The Cobbler east side, where you get the choice of straight up the Scramble Route, or go round and up the safer Hiking Trail. Both Trails are real steep. The Main Trail is about 1,900ft here, so about 1,000ft to go to the top. Tough Route Large Image.

I went up the Tough Route towards a Large Cairn at the Low Point. This is fairly easy with a Faint Trail most of the way, just a few spots you have to pick your way up through Boulders. There is a couple of places you have to Climb up about 6 feet, but no places where you are close to high drops, ideal for your first Scramble.

Up to the east side Summit also has two routes, round and up the Safe Hiking Trail, or up the Scramble Trail shown right. The Steep Trail has a bit of danger close to the top as you have to cross a large sloping rock right above the Cliffs, was tricky dry, be real dangerous wet. Large Image

On a clear day this is a fairly safe Mountain, best avoided in Thick Cloud though as not a lot of room at the top and Cliffs are much of the way around.

Crossing over to the West Summit is easy, back down the Tourist Trail then across and up.

There is a Rock Stack on the West Side popular with Climbers, Real Dangerous if you do not have Climbing Experience. Large Image

Most people go back down the safe Tourist Trail, that goes down and round the north side. This is a Man Made Path much of the way, real steep in places. Most people go up this way.

Once at the bottom, turn right and follow the Main Trail back down to Arrochar. Large Image of the Tourist Route Up.

Some people also hike Beinn Ime and Beinn Narnain on the same day, people that are exceptionally fit.

You get some great views of Arrochar on the Main Trail back down, especially at the Summer Seat.

The Click on Map below shows the Tourist Trails in Blue, Brown Rougher Trails, and Red a Bit Dangerous.

Make sure and take an Ordnance Survey Map and Compass on these Hikes, and know how to use them, as in Cloud, these Mountains can be deadly. In Winter, make sure you have Crampons and an Ice Axe, and know how to use them.

Some people are now trying out OS Phone Apps that can help.