Ben Vorlich (LL) - Which one's the summit ?

[Ben Hill]

A few years ago when I first started walking I thought it would be a good idea to take a Map Reading / Navigation course but have never done so. Most of my walks are undertaken in good weather as I like views as we all do from the summits. However I decided to walk Ben Vorlich on a cold, cloudy day as I was determined to finish off my Arrochar Alps Munros as I had previously climbed Beinn Narnain, Ben Ime and Ben Vane. I now wish I had Map Reading, Compass skills......

I started at Inveruglas and walked up Coiregrogain, until reaching the small cairn about 1km from the Loch Sloy Dam and which sits between the 3rd and 4th pylons from the dam.

Head straight up the hill from the cairn, there is a path which comes and goes and is boggy in places and keep to the left side of the stream. Further up the path improves and you eventually reach the ridge which you will be glad to see as the path up to this part is steep. The ridge is a very pleasant walk and you will reach the Trig point beside a cairn after about 30 - 45 minutes. This is not the summit and this is where the fun started.....

I joined up with a group of 4 others and we looked around for the true summit which was difficult as visibility was down to about 20 metres. We came across 2 other cairns, a smaller one and a larger one, can anybody advise as to which one is the true summit ??? Please don't tell me neither as I am no hurry to climb this hill again !

We were completely disorientated and confused at this point and had no idea how to get back down the mountain, there were 2 or 3 paths and we were unsure which one to take, we tried one and none of us recognised it as the path that we ascended. Thankfully we came across a couple who had just reached the trig point and they were able to advise us and thankfully we came across the path back down again.

Next time I decide to go out in bad weather I will ensure that I have undertaken this map reading / Navigational course I have been thinking about for several years now as I never want to be in that situation again ! Any advice re places that give such courses would be greatly appreciated.

[Caledonia84]

The bigger cairn is the the true summit mate, its about 200m north of the trig point, did you notice the big drop a couple of feet west of the larger cairn? not sure you would have seen it with the visibility as bad as it looks in your photos.

If you check my report of the same walk I put some videos up of the trig point and the true summit

[Ben Hill]

Many thanks Caledonian84 !

I found the smaller cairn first and thought that was the true summit. It was only when we walked around that we stumbled upon the large cairn which you have thankfully advised is the true summit. I did not notice the big drop as we did not wait long here, only stopping for a very quick picture. Glad I do not have to climb the hill again to get to the true summit.

I have learned that I need to undertake some kind of map reading / navigation course so any advice from anybody would be greatly appreciated.

[Caledonia84]

Think I'm in the same boat as you Ben when it comes to map reading, I only know what I remember from Army cadets and orientiering and that isn't much, if it came to following actual bearings in poor visibility I cold be in trouble

[Ben Hill]

That makes two of us but I wonder how many others are up these hills without this knowledge ? Things would have been so much easier on Saturday if I had been able to read a map and use a compass so I am definetely going to undertake some kind of course.

[skuk007]

Shame about the weather, views are fab from up there normally. Remember feeling the same way, panicky in the mist, up Sca Fell Pike once. Not a great feeling.

There are some good tips to start off on this site, under the Skills & Safety menu above.

[Ben Hill]

Many thanks skuk007, had a look and there is good info there. Also going to buy a recommended book from Amazon.

[atseacliff]

I did a course at Glenmore Lodge a couple of years back which lasted a week but there are also weekend courses. Tisos also run courses.

[Ben Hill]

Many thanks, I will have a look at these.