Ben Vane - Sunday 3rd July 2011

Pronunciation/Translation: Ben Vane - byn vain (middle hill)

(Entry by Shona)

After an eventful Sunday morning, Bracken and I headed off to hike up Ben Vane in the Arrochar Alps. We took a leisurely drive to Tarbet and stopped for a quick break, then on to the Butterbridge parking area where we kitted up and moved off. 

At 2pm, with the sun beating down, it was a pretty long and frustrating walk in to Ben Vane along a gravel estate road. We passed some liver coloured cows with calves and Bracken behaved well, not even glancing at them.

After what seemed like an eternity, we made it to plantation gates at the bottom of the hill and began to ascend the rather long and boggy grass slopes. The going was slow due to the heat and awkward terrain. I paused a few times to drink some water and admire the surroundings only to look down at the path way below and see Eric and Alfie wandering along. Eek! Time to get a shift on, I started powering up the hillside. That didn't last long as I began overheating and ended up moving slower.

Beinn Dubh from Ben Vane.

I made it to the top of Beinn Dubh at 773m and took 5 mins to check out the surrounding peaks. Then made a short descent before heading up the shoulder of Ben Vane. The terrain went from long, wet grass to big open areas with wide, deep lochans that just seemed to appear from nowhere.

Ben Vorlich from Ben Vane.

We kept on climbing the shoulder and made it to the summit of Ben Vane by 4.15pm. The sun was still beating down as the midges began to realise we were there. I cracked open a can of cola and waited for the boys to arrive.

Bracken and I with Ben Lui on the horizon.

A half hour later they joined us on the summit and we discussed the ascent, taking some photos of the surrounding peaks. After a while the midges had us making for lower ground. The descent was pretty uneventful but slightly easier as we were able to pick a better route now that we could see the terrain from above. We soon made it down to the gravel road and it felt good to have solid ground beneath our feet.

A' Chrois with Ben Lomond in distance.

Bracken and Alfie on Ben Vane.

Alfie with Ben Lomond in background.

During the long wander out we chatted and joked, then decided out of nosiness to check out the little bothy on the left as you walk out the glen. We got back to the parking area and got the dogs settled before swapping our boots for comfy trainers, then headed down to Arrochar for a post-hike shandy on the Ben Arthur's Bothy terrace overlooking Loch Long.