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Ben Vane
Ben Vane
by MarilynMunro » Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:56 pm
Munros included on this walk: Ben Vane
Date walked: 27/07/2012
Time taken: 6 hours
Distance: 12.5 km
Ascent: 867m
5 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).Friday morning and leisurely drive across to Loch Lomondside and upto Inveruglas. I hadn't decided on which hill to try, Vane or Vorlich. But after parking up at the visitor centre and the short jaunt of the walk along the road to the start, the weather was kinda of "drizzly" but not cold.
There was another walker just ahead of me with his two dogs, I would bump into him a few times through the day
The short walk up the road under the rail bridge and I got my first look at the gnarly face of Ben Vane, and decided that would be my aim for the day.
The WH walk description is absolutely spot on as usual, just me that ignored the directions and took the right hand fork at the large substation, when the guy that was a few hundred yards in front of me came back round the corner the penny dropped that we had both taken the wrong fork. Back ontrack and around to the bridge, crossing it and the short walk alongside the small wooded area, keeping it on your left.
After about 400yards and with a small burn running under the track its time to go off road, the path is a bit indistinct upto the low plateau. Once up there a path soon becomes evident and the trek uphill gets a bit more arduous, snaking back and forwards. The WH description states that there is a bit of scrambling with bypass paths available, on the way up in the drizzle they didnt seem to apparent but were easily seen on the way down.
The scrambling is very easy, must be if I can do it lol, with no "exposure" as such and really only using hands for balance.
By now the weather had deteriorated and the vis was pretty limited, the wind had also got up and by the time I reached the summit it was head down and a sharp walk to the cairn and then back down under the rock face for some well earned tea and sandwich.
With all the rain and a deal of low cloud views were in short supply, never saw the top of Vorlich all day. The views down the hill were nice, particularly down to the dam and also back along to Ime and Narnain. A'Chrois looked like a great hill, maybe a future day out.
The walk back down was straight forward enough, for all the rain it was fairly dry underfoot, with only a few bogs to cross.
I had started off late so after an uneventful walk back along the black stuff to the visitor centre,it was alittle disappointing to miss out on a coffee and cake, ah well another time.
On the way down I met a guy on his way up, at about 5 oclock,who had just driven up from Wales, leaving behind lovely dry warm weather for a damp afternoon on Vane
Really enjoyed my day out, but felt it in my legs over the next day or so. Still looking for a wonder "drug" to help with the recuperation, will have to stick with wee Jura for the time being
There was another walker just ahead of me with his two dogs, I would bump into him a few times through the day
The short walk up the road under the rail bridge and I got my first look at the gnarly face of Ben Vane, and decided that would be my aim for the day.
The WH walk description is absolutely spot on as usual, just me that ignored the directions and took the right hand fork at the large substation, when the guy that was a few hundred yards in front of me came back round the corner the penny dropped that we had both taken the wrong fork. Back ontrack and around to the bridge, crossing it and the short walk alongside the small wooded area, keeping it on your left.
After about 400yards and with a small burn running under the track its time to go off road, the path is a bit indistinct upto the low plateau. Once up there a path soon becomes evident and the trek uphill gets a bit more arduous, snaking back and forwards. The WH description states that there is a bit of scrambling with bypass paths available, on the way up in the drizzle they didnt seem to apparent but were easily seen on the way down.
The scrambling is very easy, must be if I can do it lol, with no "exposure" as such and really only using hands for balance.
By now the weather had deteriorated and the vis was pretty limited, the wind had also got up and by the time I reached the summit it was head down and a sharp walk to the cairn and then back down under the rock face for some well earned tea and sandwich.
With all the rain and a deal of low cloud views were in short supply, never saw the top of Vorlich all day. The views down the hill were nice, particularly down to the dam and also back along to Ime and Narnain. A'Chrois looked like a great hill, maybe a future day out.
The walk back down was straight forward enough, for all the rain it was fairly dry underfoot, with only a few bogs to cross.
I had started off late so after an uneventful walk back along the black stuff to the visitor centre,it was alittle disappointing to miss out on a coffee and cake, ah well another time.
On the way down I met a guy on his way up, at about 5 oclock,who had just driven up from Wales, leaving behind lovely dry warm weather for a damp afternoon on Vane
Really enjoyed my day out, but felt it in my legs over the next day or so. Still looking for a wonder "drug" to help with the recuperation, will have to stick with wee Jura for the time being
Re: Ben Vane
by Fudgie » Thu Aug 02, 2012 10:39 am
I've tried the cold bath option to help the legs and it does work but it's not easy to sit in



Re: Ben Vane
by MarilynMunro » Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:38 pm
Not sure I'm gonna try that, Fudgie, tried it on the tootsies after the WHW and it was torture
, and offcourse it would play havoc with "the boys"
Maybe just keep going with the stretches





Maybe just keep going with the stretches
Re: Ben Vane
by gammy leg walker » Thu Aug 02, 2012 8:11 pm
Good to see you back MM,was thinking you had went to the "dark side".Ben Vane is a steep wee toe-rag.
-
gammy leg walker - Mountaineer
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Re: Ben Vane
by MarilynMunro » Thu Aug 02, 2012 9:42 pm
Thanks GLW, no dark side for me. Was trying to think how to classify myself......fair weather walker,but that doesn't really cover our "summer". 

Re: Ben Vane
by SusieThePensioner » Thu Aug 09, 2012 12:27 pm
Shame about the weather but, at least you got out walking
I always enjoy seeing people's photos, whatever the weather, as it's a record of the day. Thank you

I always enjoy seeing people's photos, whatever the weather, as it's a record of the day. Thank you

Re: Ben Vane
by bobble_hat_kenny » Thu Aug 09, 2012 4:57 pm
Good effort! It's a steep wee brute, Ben Vane. I did it last November in the p***ing rain - we couldn't see the noses in front of our faces; it's therefore interesting for me to finally see what the hill actually looks like
! You got nice photos despite a bit of Clag
- not too bad for Summer of 2012, really.


Re: Ben Vane
by MarilynMunro » Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:39 pm
Apologies for not replying folks, just had a gentle reminder
Thanks Susie, photos are usually pants, never compare with yours.
Weather- well that's just the Scottish hills for you.
Yeah Kenny its a gnarly one, have never tried revisiting any of the Munros I've done yet to try and capture some views. Not sure how I'd feel if I went back up and the view was just as crap. Summer what summer.

SusieThePensioner wrote:Shame about the weather but, at least you got out walking![]()
I always enjoy seeing people's photos, whatever the weather, as it's a record of the day. Thank you
Thanks Susie, photos are usually pants, never compare with yours.
Weather- well that's just the Scottish hills for you.
bobble_hat_kenny wrote:Good effort! It's a steep wee brute, Ben Vane. I did it last November in the p***ing rain - we couldn't see the noses in front of our faces; it's therefore interesting for me to finally see what the hill actually looks like! You got nice photos despite a bit of Clag
- not too bad for Summer of 2012, really.
Yeah Kenny its a gnarly one, have never tried revisiting any of the Munros I've done yet to try and capture some views. Not sure how I'd feel if I went back up and the view was just as crap. Summer what summer.
Re: Ben Vane
by pollyh33 » Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:51 pm
Marilyn, where have you been hiding? You movie star types can be so reclusive sometimes
I see you got the same driech weather that I did when I ventured up this one many moons ago- you were probably just a young starlet then!!!!
Bit of a bummer about the coffee shop being closed, hope you had some goodies stashed in the car to keep you going

I see you got the same driech weather that I did when I ventured up this one many moons ago- you were probably just a young starlet then!!!!
Bit of a bummer about the coffee shop being closed, hope you had some goodies stashed in the car to keep you going

Re: Ben Vane
by MarilynMunro » Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:48 pm
pollyh33 wrote:Marilyn, where have you been hiding? You movie star types can be so reclusive sometimes![]()
I thought YOU had gone into semi retirement until I saw your TR with Rocket, I've been missing the tales of your escapades.
pollyh33 wrote:
I see you got the same driech weather that I did when I ventured up this one many moons ago- you were probably just a young starlet then!!!!
Bit of a bummer about the coffee shop being closed, hope you had some goodies stashed in the car to keep you going
Same ol' , same ol' with the weather, I just take look at ChrisW 's pics to get rid of the SAD
I was gonna call myself a fair weather walker, but that's a joke.
No goodies in the car boo hoo.
Re: Ben Vane
by ChrisW » Thu Sep 20, 2012 1:05 am
Ooooh, lovely views MM even though not the best of conditions, sometimes the clag add a bit of atmosphere to the pics
When I've had a particularly long hike I use the 'mobile' shower head in the shower with the water on a hot as I can stand and work it up and down my calves and thighs for quite a few minutes...feels lovely and I'm always good to go the next morning

When I've had a particularly long hike I use the 'mobile' shower head in the shower with the water on a hot as I can stand and work it up and down my calves and thighs for quite a few minutes...feels lovely and I'm always good to go the next morning

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