Beinn Narnain and Beinn Ìme

The Succoth circuit is a 13.8 km (about 8.6 mi) loop over Beinn Narnain (926 m) and Beinn Ìme (1,011 m). You climb Narnain first, cross to Bealach a’ Mhaim, climb Ime, then descend through Allt a’ Bhalachain to the car park. Allow 6 to 7 hours and about 1,350 m of ascent. This is a tough day on rough mountain paths, with a short scramble and a couple of easy-to-miss turns, but it gives you two summits and a long look over Loch Long, the Arrochar Alps and the Cowal Peninsula.

From Succoth Car Park, cross the A83 and take the marked Cobbler path. In just a few paces, before its first bend, the Narnain route peels off onto a muddy, unmarked line through undergrowth. It’s easy to miss. The path climbs steeply through ground that stays wet after rain, passing overgrown concrete squares left by a hydro project. Cross a track, then tackle a rocky step that can run like a small waterfall in wet weather. Higher up, the path becomes clearer and Loch Long with Ben Lomond behind it opens over your shoulder.

Keep straight uphill where a left branch traverses toward the Cobbler. A boggy patch and a few easy rocky scrambles lead to Cruach nam Miseag, then the path rises and falls before the Spearhead. Pass to the right of the buttress and climb the rock-filled gully to the trig point. It’s a hands-on section where wet rock, ice or poor visibility make the route more serious. From the summit, Loch Long runs toward the Firth of Clyde. Frame the loch from the trig point to show how it narrows toward the sea.

From Narnain's stony summit, cross the plateau, descend boulders and follow the clearer path down to Bealach a’ Mhaim. The old direct line toward Ime is eroded; use the better path to the bealach between Narnain and the Cobbler, then turn right. The second summit is a long, broad grassy grind, gaining almost 400 m from the pass to its trig point at 1,011 m. Ime is the highest peak in the Arrochar Alps, and its wide top can be hard to pin down in cloud. An oval stone enclosure sits near the summit. It may mark the old boundary between Dalriada and Strathclyde, but that connection is uncertain. On a clear day the summit view stretches across the surrounding mountains, sea lochs and Cowal Peninsula.

After Ime, retrace the ascent to the bealach, then turn toward the glen instead of climbing the Cobbler spur.

From the bealach, take the main path into Allt a’ Bhalachain, ignoring the steep Cobbler spur on the right and a later branch dropping from it. The improved glen path is easier underfoot, but crosses side streams on large stepping stones. You pass the two Narnain Boulders, where early Glasgow climbers reportedly sheltered while exploring the Cobbler's cliffs, then a small hydro dam. Follow the main route past felled trees and down its zigzags to the road opposite Succoth Car Park.

The final walkout comes after both summits, so don't underestimate it. Navigation matters most at the muddy unmarked start and the upper junctions. The nearest bus stop is in Succoth, about half a mile from the car park; another is at the A83/A814 junction in Arrochar, roughly a mile away. Dogs are allowed under Scotland's outdoor access rules, but keep them in sight and under proper control; use a lead whenever in doubt.