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How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?


Postby Glesgaesadly » Thu Jun 23, 2022 10:54 pm

Sorry if this posts twice! I thought I had already posted but I can't find it I must have lost Internet access.

We climbed our first hill and we're hooked!
We really want to climb Ben A'an however we don't drive. How can we get there from Glasgow? Is there a bus or service from Callendar?
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby denfinella » Fri Jun 24, 2022 9:52 am

I don't think there is public transport anywhere nearby. Do you have any car-owning friends who might like to make a day trip with you? Otherwise, you could get to Aberfoyle and then get a taxi from there, but it would be expensive.

On a more positive note there are lots of other superb hills which do have public transport to their start points. Happy to suggest some; public transport options are also listed directly on the Walkhighlands walk route pages.
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby Caberfeidh » Fri Jun 24, 2022 10:24 am

You could hitch hike. I mean, I wouldn't pick you up but someone might... Or try cycling.
A challenging route might be to get the train to Balloch on Loch Lomond. Get a boat trip up the loch to Inversnaid. Hike over the hill to Loch Katrine at Stronachlachar. Get another boat along Loch Katrine to Trossachs. From there it is a mere hop, skip and a highland fling to Ben A'an. I've just had a look on the map and though you may have to camp for the night before returning the same way, and it is obviously madness anyway, it may be doable... :shock:

http://www.sweeneyscruiseco.com/

https://www.lochkatrine.com/

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/maps/map2_43ll.shtml
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby MRG1 » Fri Jun 24, 2022 12:35 pm

The following is a party political broadcast by a Rambler... :lol:

A bit out of the box (although perhaps not quite as much as Caberfeidh's) :lol:
Keep an eye out for various local Rambler's groups that ...
A: use private bus hires.
B: has a bus pickup point that you can reach by public transport.

They will tend to issue a programme upfront.
Ours did Ben A'an earlier this year unfortunately but we've got Ben Venue coming up...
I didn't say this but ... to get a taster people are more than welcome to attend their first few walks and not join the Rambler's.
However proverbial p##staking is frowned upon. IE: someone consistently attending without paying a membership.
Its a national membership so once obtained you're well within your rights to attend any Rambler's walk in the UK.
Just a thought.

And so concludes the Rambler's advert
:D
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby SuperMillie » Fri Jun 24, 2022 12:37 pm

Or, you could put a shout out in the "Meeting up, arranging trips and walking clubs" section.

Some kind soul (of which there are many on here) heading from Glasgow on that route, might be able to offer a lift in exchange for some good conversation (in case there isn't any, then perhaps a share of the fuel costs) :crazy:
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby Caberfeidh » Fri Jun 24, 2022 12:52 pm

Come to think of it, clinging to floating debris in order to traverse the lochs may just work, as long as the wind changes by 90 degrees once you are up at Loch Achray. You may have to consult a shaman. There is one near Balquidder. Jet Skis on Lomond may be a problem.
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby MRG1 » Fri Jun 24, 2022 2:56 pm

Caberfeidh wrote:Come to think of it, clinging to floating debris in order to traverse the lochs may just work, as long as the wind changes by 90 degrees once you are up at Loch Achray. You may have to consult a shaman. There is one near Balquidder. Jet Skis on Lomond may be a problem.


Unless excessive splashing around attracts one of said water hoodlums and he (or she) ends up swapping places with the splashee.
Swiftly followed by an a withering "you'll find it at inversnaid ..."
Obviously with Ride of the Valkyries as a soundtrack.
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby BigTed » Fri Jun 24, 2022 3:27 pm

I think you are looking at this from the wrong end. What you are better doing is looking at where public transport takes you then seeing what walks you can do. You even have the advantage over the car user of having many one way trips.

For example - train to Bowling then up onto the Kilpatricks. Or get the bus to Queens View n the Stockiemuir Rd. Walk up to The Whangie. Then over the hills to Old Kilpatrick and train home.
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby Glesgaesadly » Fri Jun 24, 2022 4:06 pm

denfinella wrote:I don't think there is public transport anywhere nearby. Do you have any car-owning friends who might like to make a day trip with you? Otherwise, you could get to Aberfoyle and then get a taxi from there, but it would be expensive.

On a more positive note there are lots of other superb hills which do have public transport to their start points. Happy to suggest some; public transport options are also listed directly on the Walkhighlands walk route pages.


Thank you! I'd love some recommendations :)
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby MRG1 » Fri Jun 24, 2022 4:23 pm

BigTed wrote:I think you are looking at this from the wrong end. What you are better doing is looking at where public transport takes you then seeing what walks you can do. You even have the advantage over the car user of having many one way trips.

For example - train to Bowling then up onto the Kilpatricks. Or get the bus to Queens View n the Stockiemuir Rd. Walk up to The Whangie. Then over the hills to Old Kilpatrick and train home.



Indeed, or even Dumbarton East train station, up over the Crags, Doughnut Hill, etc to Kilpatrick train station.

Some of the hills I've done by public transport are: Cruach Ardrain and Beinn Tulaichean from Crianlarich train station. Stay on the train to Tyndrum and you've got Beinn Odhar (or Odhair, I mean the Cornett). Or stay on the train to Bridge of Orchy for Beinn Dorain and it's neighbours. All doable by citylink bus too.

Ben Vorlich (Loch Lomond) from Ardlui train station. Doable by citylink bus. Can also be done from Inveruglas by citylink bus.That bus route also stops at Inverarnan for Beinn Chabhair or Meall-an-fhudair.

The Brack by train then citylink bus. That bus route also opens up Beinn Narnain, Beinn Ime, The Cobbler and Ben Donich. Also Beinn Buidhe.

The Pentland hills by a mixture of train and bus.

It probably is best to adapt walks to public transport, there's loads.
When the trains are on of course.
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby gaffr » Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:56 pm

Takes me back a bit when after using service buses to reach crags near to Edinburgh
We got.to Ben Aan.from the city on a service bus to Callander and then walked to Ben Aan for access to the crags.
Different time now probably no bus service.
Hitching was used to get further North on a lift to
Glasgow and on train to Balloch and hitching from there. Club buses from the city too.
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby BigTed » Fri Jun 24, 2022 9:15 pm

gaffr wrote:Takes me back a bit ..............................................

Hitching was used to get further North on a lift to
Glasgow and on train to Balloch and hitching from there. Club buses from the city too.


Yes. I've stood in that layby at the roundabout up from Balloch.

I was down in Wales climbing for a week in the 80s. Two guys in my pals club met us down there having hitched seperately from Glasgow. One got down in one day the other took three days.
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby Caberfeidh » Sat Jun 25, 2022 6:55 am

BigTed wrote:
gaffr wrote:Takes me back a bit ..............................................

Hitching was used to get further North on a lift to
Glasgow and on train to Balloch and hitching from there. Club buses from the city too.

Yes. I've stood in that layby at the roundabout up from Balloch.
I was down in Wales climbing for a week in the 80s. Two guys in my pals club met us down there having hitched separately from Glasgow. One got down in one day the other took three days.


I picked up a bunch from that bus stop/Lay-By near the Balloch roundabout, only to find that they were part of a larger group, all strung out along the road. Some we managed to pick up, others we simply honked at as we went passed. I used to hitch a lot before I got a car, so I like to pay a bit back. Usually you get folk who are a good laugh, others just smell strongly. One weirdo seemed nice at first but soon got onto the subject of how the FBI, CIA, MI5 and KGB were all after him because of his secret knowledge... I made my excuses and dropped him off outside Fort William. :shock: One of my own most excellent hitches was from Raasay to Dundee courtesy of a couple of fish lorry drivers. On the return journey I even hitched a lift back to Raasay on a late ferry which had been specially put on for a fish farm. I knew a bloke who used to hitch from Dundee down to France to go climbing in the Alps. :D
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby denfinella » Sat Jun 25, 2022 5:32 pm

Caberfeidh wrote:I used to hitch a lot before I got a car, so I like to pay a bit back. Usually you get folk who are a good laugh, others just smell strongly. One weirdo seemed nice at first but soon got onto the subject of how the FBI, CIA, MI5 and KGB were all after him because of his secret knowledge...


And which category do you fit into? :wink:
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Re: How to get to Ben A'an from Glasgow without a car?

Postby Caberfeidh » Sun Jun 26, 2022 7:05 am

denfinella wrote:
Caberfeidh wrote:I used to hitch a lot before I got a car, so I like to pay a bit back. Usually you get folk who are a good laugh, others just smell strongly. One weirdo seemed nice at first but soon got onto the subject of how the FBI, CIA, MI5 and KGB were all after him because of his secret knowledge...


And which category do you fit into? :wink:


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