walkhighlands

Share your personal walking route experiences in Scotland, and comment on other peoples' reports.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Ben Vane and nearly scarred for life

Ben Vane and nearly scarred for life


Postby weescotsman » Tue May 22, 2012 8:45 pm

Route description: Ben Vane, from Inveruglas

Munros included on this walk: Ben Vane

Date walked: 20/05/2012

Time taken: 6 hours

Distance: 11 km

Ascent: 930m

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

After predicting a sunny day for our walk on Ben Vane, how silly of me to forget the F40 suntan lotion..,.... :lol: Just as well one of the party had some in his vast rucksack then....

Having previously failed on Ben Vane on an extremely claggy wet day I was glad to wake up to early morning sunshine at 6 am in Edinburgh, only for my buddy to call off ill...... she did look a bit peely wally...

Ner mind, the other traveller was waiting at the car so we duly got in about 7 am and had a pleasant drive up to Inveruglas. As usual a busy car park with tourist coaches and a few other climbers getting prepped up. For some of the group I was leading, it was their first munro. I could have picked an easier one I suppose, but this one had been on my radar for some time now....

Onwards past the power station and up under the railway, it took us the best part of an hour to reach the cut off point. I was so engrossed in chat that I actually missed it. So did the few folks ahead of me..... :lol:

The next part ahead was the only real boggy part and even then it wasn't too bad, certainly nothing like the boggy parts in some of the Crianlarich munros that I've encountered.

As described in various reports, this might be the smallest munro but it's a pretty tough climb. Not many flat parts to get your breath back at all, just steep, steep and more steep. With several newbs in the group we had regular stops for drink / food / photo opportunities. The cloud was just hanging around at the summits of Lomond and Vane, but we all reckoned the warm sun would soon shift that and we were proved right. Really was a glorious day for a walk, especially compared to the previous week......

The saying are we nearly there yet was heard a few times as we crested a rise thinking that was the summit, only to find it was yet another false peak...... I reckon there was at least 3 here but I'm not going back to accurately count them. Given our early start, we were pretty much on our own but could see several more folks back down in the distance catching up.

Finally reached the summit plateau in about 3 hrs which wasn't too bad really as we weren't going at a fast pace. Plan B was to perhaps drop down and do Ben Ime as well, but it looks a lot more fierce in reality than it does on a map so that plan was quickly binned. Ime can wait for another day. We dropped down to the North side for lunch out of the cool breeze and probably stayed there for 30 mins soaking up the sunshine.

I pointed out several familiar munros to the newbs; Cruachan in the distance looked very snow-less compared to mid April when I was there. Nevis was the only one that looked to have a full covering of snow itself. I'm slowly getting to the point now where I can just look up and say the names of munros without always having to refer to a map....

Going back down for me is faster usually than the up effort and this was no exception. The reference in the title about being nearly scarred for life was when we met a couple on their way up who were BOTH wearing tight lycra shorts. If you think of Linford Christie at the Olympic Games you will see what I mean..... :shock:

Apologies to the couple if you are on WH and recognise yourself...... :oops:

All in a pleasant 6 hr round trip and I didn't mind the sunburn......
weescotsman
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 142
Munros:116   Corbetts:8
Fionas:1   Donalds:4
Sub 2000:8   
Joined: Nov 19, 2009
Location: Bo'ness

Re: Ben Vane and nearly scarred for life

Postby davedanson28 » Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:25 pm

Hey, just final got round to reading your report. It was a good account, the wee mountain goat has since bagged another couple, its hard work keeping up with him, especially now the snow has gone! Ha, ha! Glad you managed the reclimb, bugger when you have to turn back, but better safe than sorry pal!
Catch you soon. :D
User avatar
davedanson28
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 352
Munros:282   Corbetts:5
Hewitts:4
Wainwrights:4   
Joined: Apr 16, 2012
Location: Argyll

Re: Ben Vane and nearly scarred for life

Postby GillC » Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:51 am

Well done,,and to all the newbies too. Vanes a tricky wee chap, small but ruthless. It was my first Munro when I was particularly unfit, on a diet, healthkick, and if it hadnt been such a spectacularly sunny, clear day,,I think it could have put me off for life,,, :crazy: but its worth it. As for Ime, evaded me twice on trips to the surrounding hills but got that eventually too!

Great report,
User avatar
GillC
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 1662
Munros:64   Corbetts:50
Fionas:32   Donalds:30
Sub 2000:22   Hewitts:5
Wainwrights:1   Islands:22
Joined: May 14, 2010
Location: Chryston

Re: Ben Vane and nearly scarred for life

Postby weescotsman » Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:06 am

Cheers Dave, all the recent reports from Cruachan have been snow-free, looks so much easier without a couple of feet of snow to hinder progress..... :D

And good on the wee mountain goat, he's got a few years yet to complete all of them, the record is held by a 10 yr old lad from Yorkshire at the moment..... :clap:
weescotsman
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 142
Munros:116   Corbetts:8
Fionas:1   Donalds:4
Sub 2000:8   
Joined: Nov 19, 2009
Location: Bo'ness

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Barry in the hills, Danielreid22, helenw, polnagopil and 73 guests