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Hello, fellow WalkHighlanders! This is my first trip report, and I hope the photos are all in place. So why start writing now, when this was Munro 159 for me and, while a very pleasant hill, Ben Vorlich isn't exactly a dramatic mountain to take your breath away, inspiring you to put pen to paper (or fingers to keypad) in the way that, say, An Teallach, might? And lots of you have already written reports for Ben Vorlich so I'm sorry to add another one!
Well, I've decided to write because (a) I have some nice photos, since for once it was warm and sunny enough to get my camera out and my husband didn't mind hanging around while I did - too many walks recently have been too cold or too wet to bother, and (b) the day was special because it was a Tuesday and we had both bunked off work so it had that magical, guilty pleasure feeling about it, snatched out of time, and (c) the weather was superb, but mainly (d) because going up Ben Vorlich made for a fairly typical day out on the hills. It made me think about why I love getting out, what simple, unadulterated pleasure there is to be had by being outdoors, exercising your body (which usually sits behind a computer), in fabulous scenery, on a quiet day in the west highlands. Is there anywhere else you'd rather be?
I had had a call the day before asking me to be in Balloch for work at 8am that morning, and since we are east-coasters that meant an early start. I knew the meeting would be over by 9.30am, but the weather forecast was sooooo good that I couldn't bear to drive back to spend the rest of the day in the office. I persuaded The Bruce to come along too with the lure of a day out in the hills - got to be better than being at work if you can get away with it! There was ice on the car when we left home at 6.15am, but the morning was cloudless and we knew it would be like that all day - how often can you be sure of that in Scotland? Work was soon over and we headed north from Balloch to Inveruglas car park and cafe for a capuccino and cake overlooking Loch Lomond - which was so still it reflected the mountains and woodlands like a mirror. Lucky tourists disembarking from the cruise boat to their Lochs and Glens coach!
- The best walks start with a cafe!
We finally set off walking at 10.15, an easy route on a path parallel to the road and then up the hydro track to Glen Sloy. We saw our first primroses of the year, larches coming into leaf and a posse of school kids out on a mountain bike trip - some of them seemed to find it hard work so I hope that in the end they appreciated being in the great outdoors!
- The neighbours - Ben Vane, Beinn Ime and A'Chrois?
Up towards the dam and then a long, unrelenting climb up grassy slopes with views opening out along Loch Sloy and Loch Lomond, up to Ben Vane. Sweat began pouring off us and we paused a number of times, quite lengthily, to cool down and have a drink.
- Having a rest above Loch Sloy - still a long way to climb
It was hard to remember that our last mountain, Beinn Challum was just 4 weeks previously and we were in crampons! This was like full summer. This was payback time for all those days you can't stand up in the wind, those days when you walk in a fog all day and those days when you are in your waterproofs the whole time with the rain dripping down your neck and seeping up your sleeves - and those days when all 3 are the case!
I absolutely love that rhythm of a day out climbing a mountain, of starting off from the car, sorting out your poles, wondering if your pack is fitting properly. Then the walk in, lots of chat as you go, taking it in turns to stop and faff about while you take off and put on clothes, look for your camera, get your hat out. Then the ascent which can be direct or undulating - I love the stalkers' paths which wind gently up a hillside, but Ben Vorlich was just steep! Then beyond 7 or 800m you begin to scent that summit ridge not far away, the vegetation has changed and you realise you're almost at the same height as the neighbouring tops, and the path begins to level off - and finally the summit appears in the distance and the views from the opposite side of the mountain are revealed. You feel so privileged to be able to get up high under your own steam, to see the world from this height, enjoy the space and the light and just possibly the sight of an eagle (bound to be an eagle, couldn't possibly just be a buzzard) circling overhead. And that endless speculation over lunch about whether that's Schiehallion you can see over there. I had a year off from walking 2010-11 with a prolapsed disc, couldn't even walk into our garden for several months, so being able to get out again is even more precious to me and I don't take it for granted.
- Looking down on Loch Sloy
- Where's the summit? Can't be far now.
So we had a long lunch on the top, and The Bruce had a bit of a snooze while I snapped away - the vista down Loch Lomond, Loch Arklet, Ben Mor and Stob Binnein, all turning hazy by then.
- Summit snooze
- View to the north from the trig point.
And then we turned round and came back down. We made good time, back to the car by 16.15. It could have been a much quicker day as we'd had plenty of stops - but why hurry a good thing? We saw maybe a dozen people all day, either to speak to or from a distance. All of us feeling lucky to be out there, I reckon. Smiles on our slightly sunburned faces all the way home ...
- Across to Inversnaid.
So that's it - hope you enjoyed it, and Happy Hillwalking!