Double Figures with Ben Vane

[Del246]

I wanted to pick something a bit special to get me into double figures in the Munro stakes. After doing Ben Vorlich back in April my mind kept drifting back to Ben Vane. Just the shape of it, when I first saw it, it just relly appealed to me.

So I set off the back of 8 this morning from the Inveruglas car park next to Sloy power station. Weather reports had said cloud free summits were greater than 90%. Somebody was telling a porkie !

Setting off

As I had done previously with Ben Vorlich I doubled back down the A82, past Sloy Power station until a Land rover track takes you through a locked gate and under a railway bridge.

This way !

Again I followed the track and got my first look at Ben Vane, shrouded in mist !!

Ben Vane shrouded in mist

I continued on past the power station and when you see a track leave the main path over a bridge you follow this route.

Go over the bridge !
left over the bridge

I then followed onward checking Viewranger to see when I should leave the track for the path onto the hill. I didnt really need to as you cant miss all the footprints !! Just after leaving the track you need to cross a burn and enter a bogfest !!

Over the burn into a bog

It is certainly a steep little hill and quite relentless !!

Steep from start to end !

After the boggy section a well defined path opens up and is quite easy to follow. I took my first breather at the cave.

Cave is on the bottom right

The views from the cave are quite good. I got a view of Loch Lomond, Loch Arklet and a glimpse of Loch Katrine.

Views fromm the cave !

I continued up the steep path and got a look at Loch Sloy dam.

Loch Sloy dam

Onwards and upwards.

Steep, steep, steep !!

Then came a few scrambles !!

Scramble anyone ??

Views were still good at this stage although I could see the summit was covered

Loch Sloy

Then came another scramble

Another scramble

I continued up the path then came to a rather vertical wall !! As I was standing pondering it a chap on his way down told me the summit was just over the top. So I took a deep breath and went up.

Summit is just over the top

And then I was on the summit and in the inside of a cloud !!

Summit

I didnt hang around for long and made my way back down. The views on the way down got better as the cloud cleared.

Loch Lomond

Ben Vane

A` Chrois looking splendid !

Ben Lomond

Getting into double figures in 6 months is good going for me as I have a young family and getting "me" time is at a premium !! Im delighted !!

[Stretch]

Well done Del, welcome to double figures. You saw more than I did up Ben Vane that's for sure. Don't remember that vertical wall though, and I'm sure I stayed on path the whole way. What's the story with the bird in the rucksack?

[Caledonia84]

I enjoyed your report some excellent pictures, was planning on doing this one next after seeing it from Ben Vorlich it did look steep, but wouldn't expect anything else from a mountain in Arrochar i read you could do the scrambles or the path good to see you took the scrambles

[Del246]

Lol. My daughters bought me an Angry Bird keyring as a novelty for my birthday last week. They told me I had to put it on my rucksack for luck ! I wondered if anyone would notice ! You have eagle eyes Stretch !!

[Del246]

Cheers Caledonia. I love the shape of Ben Vane. Now a favourite of mine.

[pollyh33]

Well done Del! Great report and smashing photos despite the clouds!

Couple of things ....how did Viewranger work out?
.... did you have a choice of taking a path near the summit???

[Del246]

Viewranger worked out great. That's the last 2 trips I haves used it and so far can't fault it. I saw a faint path to the left but it was in my eyes quite dodgy too. The mist didn't help and I may of missed an obvious path. Although a guy came down it when I was there. When I came down, as no one else was around at that stage, I came down some bits of that section on my bum !! But don't tell anyone !

[gammy leg walker]

Well done on reaching double figures Del,looks like you lost the path going up somehow,even though its the lowest ranked munro at 283 its still a steep pull to the top

[rockhopper]

well done Del on double figures I'd echo GLW - this hill can be harder than quite a lot of higher munros.

[Del246]

Thanks GLW. It was just under the summit I came to that rocky area although navigation was tricky in the mist.

[Del246]

Cheers Rockhopper. Although it's small in Munro stakes it does make you work !

[tomyboy73]

well done Del, i loved this wee hill, especially the scrambles, and it`s where i got my avatar pic

[Del246]

Thanks Tomyboy. Your picture is something special !!

[chickadee]

Those are great pics, I love the one from the cave, amazing view!

[cheekykarma]

Great pics

And congrats! to double figures