The Cobbler
Encyclopedia
The Cobbler is a mountain of 884 m height located near the head of Loch Long
in Scotland
. It is a Corbett. Although the Ordnance Survey
title this peak as Ben Arthur (an anglicisation of the Gaelic), the name The Cobbler (which the OS mark as an alternative name) is almost universally used by hillwalkers
, mountaineers
and the local populace.
, due to its distinctive, large rocky summit features which are supposed to represent a cobbler
bending over his last
. The features are visible many miles away from the mountain.
Despite the mountain falling short of Munro
height, due to its summit features, ease of access, and excellent summit views, it is one of the most popular mountains in Scotland.
. Originally, the route first headed directly up the hillside, following the remains of an old tram
way built as part of a water collection scheme. A newly constructed path
has now been built, by-passing the tramway and zig-zagging up the hillside to give a more gentle ascent through an area of forestry
. This path meets up with the old tramway path and continues from there, following a burn
known as the Allt a'Bhalachain. From here the path bypasses the Narnain Boulders, steepening at around 600 m (2000 ft). Gaining the summit requires an element of scrambling
. Nearer the top, the path flattens out at a bealach, which is marked by a cairn. Several peaks may be accessed from this point.
ability is necessary to negotiate it and eventually gain the summit. Using this route is known as "threading the needle". The easiest descent is by the same route - however, this is more difficult and extreme care must be taken, especially when descending the final part of the ledge. The mica
schist
rock is very slippery in the wet and several deaths have occurred due to falls from this place.
road through Glen Croe
to the west; by following the rocky south-eastern ridge up from Loch Long; or from the Bealach a' Mhàim. This bealach
, at 640 m, allows for Ben Arthur to be combined with some of the other Arrochar Alps
, notably Beinn Narnain
and Beinn Ìme
.
Loch Long
Loch Long is a body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The sea loch extends from the Firth of Clyde at its southwestern end. It measures approximately 20 miles in length, with a width of between one and two miles...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is a Corbett. Although the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
title this peak as Ben Arthur (an anglicisation of the Gaelic), the name The Cobbler (which the OS mark as an alternative name) is almost universally used by hillwalkers
Hillwalking
In the British Isles, the terms hillwalking or fellwalking are commonly used to describe the recreational outdoor activity of walking on hills and mountains, often with the intention of visiting their summits...
, mountaineers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
and the local populace.
Arrochar Alps
The mountain is the most spectacular, although by no means the highest of the so-called Arrochar AlpsArrochar Alps
The Arrochar Alps are a group of mountains located around the head of Loch Long, Loch Fyne,and Loch Goil, near the villages of Arrochar and Lochgoilhead in Argyll, Scotland. The mountains are especially popular with hillwalkers, due to their proximity and accessibility from Glasgow...
, due to its distinctive, large rocky summit features which are supposed to represent a cobbler
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
bending over his last
Last
A last is a form in the approximate shape of a human foot, used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts typically come in pairs, and throughout their history have been made from many materials, including hardwoods, cast iron, and, more recently, high density...
. The features are visible many miles away from the mountain.
Despite the mountain falling short of Munro
Munro
A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over . They are named after Sir Hugh Munro, 4th Baronet , who produced the first list of such hills, known as Munros Tables, in 1891. A Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a separate mountain...
height, due to its summit features, ease of access, and excellent summit views, it is one of the most popular mountains in Scotland.
Available paths
The most common route starts from the village of Succoth, at the head of the lochLoch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
. Originally, the route first headed directly up the hillside, following the remains of an old tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way built as part of a water collection scheme. A newly constructed path
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
has now been built, by-passing the tramway and zig-zagging up the hillside to give a more gentle ascent through an area of forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
. This path meets up with the old tramway path and continues from there, following a burn
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
known as the Allt a'Bhalachain. From here the path bypasses the Narnain Boulders, steepening at around 600 m (2000 ft). Gaining the summit requires an element of scrambling
Scrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
. Nearer the top, the path flattens out at a bealach, which is marked by a cairn. Several peaks may be accessed from this point.
Three summits
The Cobbler has three distinctive summits: the middle one is the highest. The top is crowned by a rocky outcrop that marks the true summit. A very good head for heights is required to attain the true summit, which can best be reached by crawling through a hole (known as 'Argyll's eyeglass') in the summit rock formation from the north side to the south. This leads to a ledge around one metre wide, with a sheer drop of well over 100 ft (30.5 m) on one side. The ledge is steeply inclined, and some scramblingScrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
ability is necessary to negotiate it and eventually gain the summit. Using this route is known as "threading the needle". The easiest descent is by the same route - however, this is more difficult and extreme care must be taken, especially when descending the final part of the ledge. The mica
Mica
The mica group of sheet silicate minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in chemical composition...
schist
Schist
The schists constitute a group of medium-grade metamorphic rocks, chiefly notable for the preponderance of lamellar minerals such as micas, chlorite, talc, hornblende, graphite, and others. Quartz often occurs in drawn-out grains to such an extent that a particular form called quartz schist is...
rock is very slippery in the wet and several deaths have occurred due to falls from this place.
Another route
Beside the route described above, the summits may also be reached starting from the A83 Rest-and-be-ThankfulA83 road
The A83 is a major road in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, running from Tarbet, on the western shore of Loch Lomond, where it splits from the A82, to Campbeltown at the southern end of the Kintyre peninsula.-Route:...
road through Glen Croe
Glen Croe
Glen Croe is a glen in the heart of the Arrochar Alps surrounded by large and rugged mountains characterised by huge boulders.-Geography:Glen Croe is located to the north west of Loch Lomond and Loch Long, draining into the latter. At the head of the glen is the pass leading to Glen Kinglas...
to the west; by following the rocky south-eastern ridge up from Loch Long; or from the Bealach a' Mhàim. This bealach
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
, at 640 m, allows for Ben Arthur to be combined with some of the other Arrochar Alps
Arrochar Alps
The Arrochar Alps are a group of mountains located around the head of Loch Long, Loch Fyne,and Loch Goil, near the villages of Arrochar and Lochgoilhead in Argyll, Scotland. The mountains are especially popular with hillwalkers, due to their proximity and accessibility from Glasgow...
, notably Beinn Narnain
Beinn Narnain
Beinn Narnain is a mountain in the southern Highlands of Scotland, near Arrochar. It forms part of a group of hills known as the Arrochar Alps, and is a Munro. The name Beinn Narnain means "hill of notches", and describes the mountain's notched profile.Beinn Narnain is usually climbed from...
and Beinn Ìme
Beinn Ime
Beinn Ìme is the highest mountain in the Arrochar Alps, in the Southern Highlands of Scotland. There are three usual routes of ascent. From Succoth, one may follow the same path that is used to reach The Cobbler before taking the right fork near the base of the Cobbler's main crags and continuing...
.