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BEN VORLICH -no wow factor :(

BEN VORLICH -no wow factor :(


Postby blueyed » Fri Oct 19, 2012 8:39 pm

Route description: Ben Vorlich via Loch Sloy

Munros included on this walk: Ben Vorlich (Loch Lomond)

Date walked: 09/10/2012

Time taken: 6 hours

Distance: 13.5 km

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this trip was a little bit forced - i already had other plans for that day, but at the end i just couldnt bring myself to waste such great sunny weather... so i decided to finish refurbishing the flat some other day ;) neverthless i spent the whole monday painting the bedroom and i was knackered.

with moaning and puffing i got up -too late to skip all the commuters travelling between edinburgh and glasgow, therefore i jammed myself into the the never ending congestion... finally arrived to inveruglas laaaaate..
didnt waste any more time, greeted the fellow walker who was parked next too me and was just leaving for the hills too..

the day was great and warm and sunny, so walk along the glen was very enjoyable. i have to mention that the works in the glen were very busy, much more diggers and heavy equipment to what i remember from few years back when i walked ben vane... i didnt really like the 'industrialness' of the glen but hay-ho, it's nothing when compared with cairnwell :)

ben vorlich was my last munro 'to do' in the arrochar alps area, easy walk, path - safe enough to let me go by myself (said my 'other half' who doesnt really like to worry about me), so even though i didnt really fancy ben vorlich too much (would prefer creise!!!) i gave it a go, ticked off my list and now i am looking forward to something more adventurous :)

what i really like thou in the ben vane- ben vorlich area is the fact that i am surrounded by nice mountains and i absolutely love the shape and views of a'chrois

Image

Image
seen it in winter, summer and autumn colours and always absolutely love it :)

then, when i finish with a'chrois i am hypnotised by ben vane
Image

i remember i really liked the day out on ben vane, that steep mountain is full of character and i will definitely go back there again, unfortunately i cant say the same about ben vorlich, as i found it a little bit boring.

ok, first of all - i expected to find a cairn marking the beginning of path climbing up wet slopes of ben vorlich. the cairn was 'demolished' and as i arrived to this place (pic below) i still wasnt sure whether this is it or not.
Image

it was it :) but when i noticed it, luckily something ringed in my head that it looks like 'ex-cairn'. later, just below the summit i met eddie, who mentioned the missing cairn and apparently walked as far as the dam and then climbed straight up -didnt recommend it ;(

anyway, after i decided it was the place (just in case, i counted - it is next to 4th pylon counting from the dam) i started a rather slow and boggy climb up. to my surprise i found 4 cows happily watching me -after i climbed about 1/3 way up!
Image

first half of the climb, the path looks like this
Image
it is very faint and boggy and most of the times i wasnt able to follow it in case i get stuck in mud, but i must admit that it is reasonably easy to navigate and although i couldnt see too much far in front of me, i didnt have any problems nor doubts where to go.

then second half of climb to the ridge -path is nice and stony/eroded, proper path.

Image
a'chrois and ben vane

towards the summit ridge
Image

the dam
Image

high up
Image

as i said before, ben vorlich lacked a wow factor for me. yes, it was a nice day out but i didnt hold my breath for anything that day. views - nice but not breathtaking, walking experience - ok, industrialness of the glen - hmmm.. :(

by the way - on my way back i rebuilt the cairn :)

to see more pics click here
http://around-scotland.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/ben-vorlich-loch-lomond.html
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blueyed
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Re: BEN VORLICH -no wow factor :(

Postby ChrisW » Sat Oct 20, 2012 5:35 am

Beautiful photos as always Blueyed, this actually looks like a fine wander - wonderful weather, stunning colours and the place almost to yourself ...... what more can you ask :wink: Great report and well done on rebuilding the cairn for the rest of us :clap:
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Re: BEN VORLICH -no wow factor :(

Postby gammy leg walker » Sat Oct 20, 2012 8:31 am

Nice pics blueyed,please tell me you went to the cairn & not the trig.
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Re: BEN VORLICH -no wow factor :(

Postby blueyed » Sun Oct 21, 2012 3:37 pm

walked it to the very end ;)
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blueyed
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Re: BEN VORLICH -no wow factor :(

Postby gammy leg walker » Sun Oct 21, 2012 7:53 pm

blueyed wrote:walked it to the very end ;)

:thumbup:
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