Ben Vorlich (Loch Lomond) via Loch Sloy on the bike

[Rossco]

Around this time last year, when I didn't know anything about hillwalking or Munros, I headed up to Loch Sloy dam from Arrochar on the bikes with my dad. When we were sitting at the dam for a break looking up at Ben Vorlich, I thought it looked quite cool and that if I ever got into hillwalking I would climb it from this direction. Well today was that day! I originally planned to cycle in from Arrochar again but the path is long, hilly and steep and by the time I would get to the dam I would have been shattered so went for the easy option and parked at Inveruglas instead.

I didn't want to do this cycle/walk on a day when it was raining as it would ruin the enjoyment. So I cancelled it earlier in the week when the weather wasn't looking too good and eventually today looked perfect. Left Inveruglas at dead on 12pm and headed up the road. Although the sun wasn't shining, it was still a brilliant day to be out. Another reason for doing the start of this hill on the bike was because I'd already done this long walk in when I done Ben Vane so thought I'd mix it up a little by cycling it. Up to the tunnel under the railway and awkwardly threw my bike over the (taller than expected!!) fence.


Hittin the road by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Jump the fence? Or walk around? by Rossco 7, on Flickr

Although I was now panting like a dog for the first 10-15 minutes up the hill, it was fairly easy. Just steeper than expected. Walking up something like that is a doddle but cycling is a little harder. All this would be made worthwhile on the return trip though. Literally couldn't wait to get back on the bike for the cycle down at the end of the day. A little further up I eventually got to see Ben Vane properly since it was completely covered in cloud when I climbed it myself a few months back. And then passed the small bridge on the left where I cycle from when coming from Arrochar.


Action Shot! by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Ben Vane (915m) by Rossco 7, on Flickr

On the way up, I had a look out for the cairn that you would leave the road at and take the path to the summit but I missed it as I believe a lot of people do. So keep your eyes peeled for that one! The further up you get to the dam, the road gets a bit steeper again and then you have a short zigzag section to get up the top. There's then a tunnel you need to go through which is quite strange to see. I was previously told it had bats in it and being so gullible I believed this so on my first cycle through I was a bit panicky but this time I just bombed through no bother. Once out the other side of the short tunnel you're at the dam and can cycle right across the top to the fence at the other side. Via the rocks down next to the water for a break and some light refreshments after that tough cycle up of course!


Loch Sloy Dam by Rossco 7, on Flickr


The bat cave by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Ben Vorlich (943m) by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Loch Sloy by Rossco 7, on Flickr


The long way up by Rossco 7, on Flickr

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pk87GblE3s[/youtube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pk87GblE3s

I spotted someone starting to climb the hill at this point from the same place as me. Didn't think I was going to see anyone today never mind someone doing the exact same climb as myself. I gave him a 30 minute head start then as a test of fitness made it my mission to catch him up before the summit! There were other walkers on the dam at this point but they headed back the way they came so I was left alone again to take some photos and prepare for the long walk up.


Across the dam by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Loch Sloy Dam by Rossco 7, on Flickr


'The Black Knight' safely locked up by Rossco 7, on Flickr

After chaining my bike up to the fence and jumping over I realised there was a path! Wasn't expecting that. But within 5-10 minutes it had faded out and I was on my own again to make it up as I went. I found the best strategy was to walk up the wee burns rather than tramping across the grass. Although I kept having to make sure I was heading left far enough so I hit the summit from this direction instead of going straight up and meeting the path before the summit. From the bottom I was surveying the hill and seen one section of steep rock faces that I wanted to check out so had to keep on track for that. The going was pretty tough though, no obvious paths at all, just long grass, rocks and lots of sheep to scare away!


One of the many river paths I used by Rossco 7, on Flickr


No easy way up by Rossco 7, on Flickr


A'Chrois (849m) and Ben Vane (915m) by Rossco 7, on Flickr

After so long of this torturous diagonal ascending through the grass I finally reached the rocky section I was looking for. And man did it look fun! Some parts were easy to just run across stepping carefully but others were pretty steep and required some scrambling. It could all be avoided of course but I like this stuff so was aiming for the tough scrambles. The whole way up this far I was constantly on the heels of the walker ahead of me, getting close and closer, I just couldn't catch him. I kept stopping to take photos though so that's my excuse.


Getting rocky by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Time to scramble by Rossco 7, on Flickr

As usual when the scrambling starts, I get so excited and lost in the moment that I forget to take pictures of the best bits. So it was all over in minutes but thoroughly enjoyable and well worth the diversion from the path. Once the rocks were cleared, the hill levelled out dramatically and was just rolling, grassy hills for the last 5-10 minutes until I hit the summit. I hadn't really bothered or needed to check the map much but thanks to people here I knew that the trig point wasn't the true summit so jogged on by that to get to the real summit cairn and have lunch atop my 14th Munro! I even found the time to carry out my first attempt at Munro Planking. Everyone else is doing it these days so felt I had to keep up with the cool guys.


Weyhey! Another one bites the dust by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Celebratory Planking by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Summit cairn from Trig Point by Rossco 7, on Flickr

Now came the "fun" part. Descending back down that steep as hell hill. I didn't want to go back the same way I came as it was pretty steep and rocky in parts but also because variety is the spice of life! So I headed along the path for a while and then when in line with the dam, headed straight down past some huge gashes in the rocks with some seriously high drops. Fall in one of those and you'd be a goner! There were then a few hairy moments after this to be honest. I was clambering down some rocks and before you know it I'm on a small ledge with nowhere to go. Down was too steep and left or right was just narrow ledges that looked pretty dangerous. So I had to remove my bag and lob it back up the way I came and scramble back up the steep face to safety. Crisis averted! Learned my lesson after that and stuck to the more grassy areas of the hill for the rest of the descent.


Huge drops by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Where I almost attempted to descend by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Looking down Loch Lomond by Rossco 7, on Flickr


Ben Vane (915m) and Beinn Chorranach (888m) by Rossco 7, on Flickr

The rest of the walk down was pretty easy. Just not so much on the knees! I think my next hill will be done following the path for a bit of a break from this chaos. Some fast jets thundered about above the clouds for a while but each time I grabbed my camera and aimed it at the sky in anticipation they never appeared. When I got back to the dam the midges were out in full force. Never seen so many of them all swarming around each other. Lucky for me, I was covered in Smidge so none of the wee buggers came near me. The part I'd been looking forward to all day was now here... the cycle back to the car!! It took just over 10 minutes to get from the top of the dam to the car park and the long slog up and down the hill earlier in the day was all worthwhile for those amazing 10 minutes. Managed to hit a new personal top speed on one part of 38.3 mph which is pretty damn fast. And scary! My gear jammed on the same straight too so if I had a clean run I could have possibly hit 40. That'll be a challenge for next time though.


Swarm of midges by Rossco 7, on Flickr


The short cycle back by Rossco 7, on Flickr


New top speed! by Rossco 7, on Flickr

Another great day in the hills and so glad the weather stayed nice throughout. I will definitely be bringing the bike back up with me when possible. It changes the whole mood of the day, especially when you know you have an exciting downhill to finish on. Even without that though, it'll make some of the long walk ins on various Munros a lot easier and shorter.

14 down, 269 to go.

Ben-Vorlich-(Loch-Lomond).gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1267862

[Paul_Antonia]

Another good report and photos Rossco. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. What a difference in weather compared to your slog up Ben Vane. It's great to see different variations on climbing some of these hills, and I like the idea of the bike for that loch sloy road. The climb itself looks a ridiculously steep slog in places. We are planning this ascent from Ardlui and hope to nail it in the next couple of weeks when I get some time off. Keep rattling off those peaks and we'll keep looking out for your reports.

[skuk007]

Nice report Rossco, always good to see reports of the hills when the normal route up/down isn't followed.

[Rossco]

Cheers guys.

I think staying on the path is obviously good for safety if you're unsure but going off the normal route can completely change your perception of a hill and how difficult it is.

[tomyboy73]

well done Rossco, what is it with that cairn on the path that keeps disappearing ????????? twice i`ve been up there and struggled to find it. i had a similiar decsent to you although not by choice, just by stupidity, but i`m over that now.....i think