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Sunday, 10th. July:A bit of early low cloud but this was to be another wonderful day and I was away from where I was staying in Comrie bright and early and headed for the Munros to the west of Loch Lomond; a superficial glance at the map had suggested that the four of them should be climbable in a longish day.
I parked on the shoreline at around 7.00.am. and passed the Hydro's impressive Loch Sloy turbine hall before turning up the road towards the reservoir dam and the foot of Ben Vorlich. The steep track up from the road was hard work but at least the sun wasn't out - and there was evidence of a fairly major arrested mass movement in some deep fissuring of the mountainside at about two thirds height which kept things interesting. Although it may be centuries away, the rock slide will be very large and make quite a mess of the valley floor when, eventually, the slope fails.
The summit, about 250 metres past the trig point, was cold and still clouded over so I didn't wait long but returned the same way, passing a couple and a group of four lads heading up at about half height. The road then took me up to the base of the dam and I turned left for the steep, rocky slopes of Ben Vane.
This was, again, hard work - especially as the slopes were now in full sun - but the upper reaches were beautiful; the little lochans and the grassy meadows close to the burn immediately to the north east of the summit would be a great place to camp. I hit the ridge less than 100 metres east of the summit but it was a crowded place and I didn't linger long before heading steeply south west down to the bealach between Gleann Uaine and the upper tributaries of the Allt Coriegrogain. This was, for me, the best part of the round: dramatic scenery in a relatively remote location and no one else there. Lunch!
Gentle, grassy slopes then took me to the Glas Bhealach followed by a steady plod south up a broad ridge to the summit of Ben Ime. There were fewer people about than on Ben Vane and the views were spectacular with the Firth of Clyde opening out to the south. As usual, I didn't have a camera...
It was then an easy - if quite busy - walk down to the Bealach a'Mhaim and onto Ben Narnain where I was able to leave the crowds behind again and walk north-east over Creag Tharsuinn. This led to a steep descent down Coire Fuar, an experience made a little less pleasant than it needed to have been by the usual scramble through some forestry before crossing the Allt Coriegrogain and re-gaining the hydro track. From there, it was a simple walk back to the shores of Loch Lomond.
These are fine hills and they will draw me back.
Next Report:
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=113666.