| Name: | The Fruin |
| Hill number: | 101 |
| Height: | 361m / 1184ft |
| County/UA: | Argyll and Bute |
| Topographical area: | HS07 Doune-fruin |
| SMC/RHB section: | 01E: Loch Long to Loch Lomond |
| Catchment: | Leven (Dumbarton) |
| Class: | Marilyn, Hump, Tump (300-399m), Yeaman (Ma,Hu,Tu,3,Y) |
| Grid ref: | NS 27626 87220 |
| Summit feature: | cairn at edge of circular pit |
| Drop: | 168m |
| Col: | 193m NS260899  |
| OS map sheet(s): | (1:50k) 56 (1:25k) OL38 347 |
| Observations: | cairn 50m S at NS 27636 87174 is probably lower |
| GPS data: | show GPS entries for this hill |
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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way. Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land(*).
*For information about access rights in Scotland see the ScotWays website.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass. Please quote the hill number and hill name.
| Logged Descriptions (logged by 194 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all) | By | Date of Ascent |
| from Helensburgh Waterfront CP, via Hill House and Tom na Airidh. Changed into wellies at Hill House. | PaulineD | 09/06/2024 |
| Up and down from reservoir. 1 of 1 | thekirkie pirate | 18/01/2024 |
| From the SW. Parked in a turning area/dumping ground before the railway underpass to Stuckenduff. Lots of intimidating private property signage, a barky security dog and even a talking CCTV warning at this rundown farmyard. But pressed on regardless up a series of good tracks and paths through high bracken at what appears to be an off-roading centre. Eventually got onto good open moorland track, going over a couple of deer fences/gates before reaching the summit. Reversed the route back. Seemingly straightforward compared to right-ups for alternative ascent options. | summitter | 28/07/2023 |
| Started at Helensburgh Central and ascended the easy path up to Tom na h-Airidh. It immediately became hardgoing after the stone wall under Tom na h-Airidh: thick brush, spongy ground (even after a couple of dry weeks), and annoying empty forestry trenches. Slightly easier after passing over the fence that stretches all the way up to the summit but still not great. I thought about going down the path that appeared nearby straight to Shandon but decided to face the music and take the rough route I'd already done. | SimonXIX | 14/06/2023 |
| Parked NS2611789902. SE along track then across boggy moorland to summit. | PeteF | 25/10/2022 |
| Very squidgy coming up from Helensburgh but at least the cloud raised enough to give me some semi-decent views from the top. | Alex C | 22/10/2022 |
| Along military road from the NW. Once the track ends it is fairly wet ground but not too bad. Followed rigid barbed wire fence all the way to the summit (with a looser bw fence to step over on the way)No need to climb over it as there is a gate at the top. | Dangerous Dave | 09/04/2022 |
| From Hill House car park. Followed Three Lochs Way track to first kissing gate, then left on narrow path next to felled area, on to Tom na Airidh. Then on intermittent deer paths across some very boggy and humpty terrain to summit. Returned via better deer track more to W - which avoided most of the wet stuff- to T na A and back to HH. | MichaelF | 01/04/2022 |
| From good parking at at point 197 -261899. A watery slog but in good light. Some evidence of a path on occasions. Solo. | bolton | 15/03/2022 |
| From Hill House; beware, lockable gate was closed but not locked when I returned at 18.10. Surfaced path to edge of Drumfad Wood, then decent path up open ground in direct line to upper edge of forestry, then to Tom na Arigh. Don't be seduced by the nice path going through the wall, it leads to awful empty forestry trenches; instead head to the fence and follow it on the N side. Wet and boggy in places but pleasant enough even after 24h of torrential rain, nice views. | Gill | 12/03/2022 |
| Not as wet as I expected! | nicolajane | 05/03/2022 |
| From the Glen Fruin road highpoint. Initially along a military track, then a path that fades out as the ridge begins. Slightly drier ground to the left, one bwf and, on the final ascent, a really marvellous surprise view with the Firth of Clyde framing Arran. The memorial to the 1603 battle between MacGregors and Colquhouns, after which the MacGregors were outlawed for 150 years, is only a couple of hundred yards NE down the Glen Fruin road and well worth a look. | Nick Down1 | 22/05/2021 |
| Bogfest. Initial hardcore surfaced military road from NS261899 goads one into a major morass SSE. Higher ground up left is not much drier but gives access to fence handrail to summit (gate near summit). Bog all the way. Marginally less bad on the E side of the fence (wooden gate at bottom, about NS269886). | Isbjorn | 14/10/2020 |
| Parked at Hill House (15:15) and followed the footpath NW and then NE to the corner of the (felled) woodland. A grassy path, follows the woodland boundary until it swings left and then ascends NW to the corner of the wood on the skyline above, and onward to the top of Tom na h-Airidh. I couldn't find the mast referred to by others. Continued down the far side of the hill to a wall and then went rightward for about 150m to a fence. A reasonably dry and level path leads along the NE side of this fence all the way to the summit (16:45); a couple of deep bogs can be avoided on the right. The weather was fine and the views all round glorious. Returned same route; finish 18:10. Prior to this I tried using a track, shown on the 1:25k map and the Google satellite view, which leads from Stuckenduff to the SE (258863) almost to the summit. But it's a tough-looking area with a gateway labelled 'Private Farmland - Keep out' and a large dog barking beyond, so I abandoned this approach. | dbb | 02/10/2020 |
| Running Garelochhead to Balloch via the Fruin and Ben Bowie. Much prefered this hill. | Iloveducks | 19/08/2020 |
| Parked at pt197 NW of hill on. Long trudge out to the top on wet, boggy ground. | Simon Winton | 04/03/2020 |
| A short outing prior to Christmas gluttony. I went from the road pass to the north and it was every bit as wet as expected. A Hall of Mirrors effort but I won't be tempted by a third visit | Colin Crawford | 25/12/2019 |
| Very wet ground after 60mm or so of rain in Glen Fruin yesterday. Not that it's much drier up there normally. | sclater | 11/12/2019 |
| An Easter Monday hike up The Fruin from Helensburgh via Tom na h-Airidh. Great views of the Clyde, Cowal hills and the Loch Lomond Grahams but still quite boggy even after a dry spell. | Chris Mac | 22/04/2019 |
| From parking area on minor road to North, with Ellie dog. | BLACKHILL | 07/04/2019 |
| 2of3: From Glen Fruin road HP: 261899 | ChrisR | 27/02/2019 |
| From car park south of Helensburgh reservoirs. Solo. Followed Three Lochs Way easily to corner of forest at NS295850. Up hillside towards mast and then to summit of Tom na h – Airidh before continuing to summit of the Fruin. On return found and followed a path down. This rises up from NS295850 and goes to the summit of Tom na h – Airidh. At the start it goes up the edge of the forest. It is a little boggy and not very obvious. Very windy day with not much in the way of long distance views. | pwbellarby | 01/05/2018 |
| Everything frozen solid thankfully. | ARM | 05/03/2018 |
| From Hill House, along the footpath in the woods, then turn up hill at the path junction then over frozen albeit snow covered slopes. | N.Morters | 03/03/2018 |
| Visiting in September was a bad idea: would have been much better in the snow, unless you like bog botany. I started with the track to NS304848. This was a bad idea because it got boggy after that. The Three Lochs Way (strangely not on the OS maps) would have been a better start. Either way, the ensuing ridge was boggy and a bad idea. Went down north-east to Duirland, which was better and had no access problems. The two good things about this hill are the views, and that it doesn't take up a whole day. | Pete R | 02/09/2017 |
| Approached from NS261899 - good track to begin with. | ger | 09/05/2017 |
| From car park at Helensburgh reservoirs. Took a poor line up and a much better line down. Route and write-up at: http://gayleybird.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-fruin-and-ben-bowie.html | Gayle | 21/04/2017 |
| Used Ian's route with success but I won't be back. | Chris Peart | 30/10/2016 |
| From Hill House in Helensburgh. | NormanW | 13/03/2016 |
| Very soggy. Take 3 lochs way track just south of the reservoir (Sinclair St) follow it to the trees. New semi metalled track up the side of the trees. Aim for the mast, trod close to the trees after the 1st 500m. Go along the north side of the wall/ fence after the mast to the summit (Really is dry (er)). Cold, calm, sunny and good views. | iangalbraith | 03/02/2016 |
| A long bog hop in lovely weather. Saw Ailsa Craig. | Play2End | 25/07/2015 |
| JEB | HFB | 09/05/2015 |
| extremely soggy hill, better wait for dry summer or frozen ground. | tallblond | 01/03/2015 |
| Boggy route from west | duchally | 15/12/2014 |
| With Jenx. Not one to normally grumble about a hill's condition but this one is grim. A 3km wet plod - how folk managed to run this I don't know. Best take a direct line, don't follow the fence as this has been churned up by previous walkers/runners. To the south a new track has been constructed from Duirland to service the pylons, may be better if access can be gained to use this to @ GR284881 and follow burn line up. | nordicstar | 18/10/2014 |
| After short-lived track, long unpleasant plod from the NW. | AndrewFinnimore | 07/10/2014 |
| From near hill house. | robertphillips | 16/12/2012 |
| From point 197 to the NW, easy going on a dry bright morning but rather damp under foot. | Dugswell2 | 01/05/2012 |
| mark wedding day with Stephen T | Richard Tait | 31/03/2012 |
| Solo ascent with dogs | alexmaclennan | 01/05/2011 |
| M. Rough going. | Martin66 | 03/04/2011 |
| ran from high point on road, v wet and windy. 41 mins. | tom smith | 13/02/2011 |
| Run up from Helensburgh. | stever | 01/01/2011 |
| Very rough going for a tiddler. | campagvelocet | 12/10/2006 |
| With the F.C. | The Captain | 29/12/2005 |
| From minor road to NW with Fiona. MoD helicopter circling. | agentmancuso | 07/11/2002 |
| Along a surfaced track, under a barrier and 3/4 mile of swamp - marsh, reeds and bog - to old butts and onto rise of hill. Going got worse in rough grass and sedge. To top of first bump at 8.50. Fence gave guide for next 1/2 m. 12 inch heather. More swamp and rusty fence to top at 9.15. | arranc | 06/08/2002 |
| undramatic hill, but fine views across mist to crazy Cowal silhouettes, nice grassy summit, cairn near wall. from road pass 261899, prosaic tussocky jog | RHW | 26/12/2000 |
| solo | donmeister | 10/03/2000 |
| Up and down from the Glen Fruin road. Policeman on a motorbike waiting for me on the return. In a friendly manner, kept me occupied while a convoy passed. How your reputation is known! | Eddie | 02/11/1997 |