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Ben Vorlich, Arrochar

Ben Vorlich, Arrochar


Postby David Thomson » Sun May 09, 2010 8:36 pm

Route description: Ben Vorlich via Loch Sloy

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

Date walked: 08/05/2010

Time taken: 5 hours

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Took advantage of excellent weather to bag the elusive Ben Vorlich which had been covered in heavy cloud and rain on my last visit. Set off from the Inveruglas visitor centre and followed the road to the turnoff.

Cameron McNeish advises that there are no paths worth mentioning on Ben Vorlich, so I opted for the track to the dam route, followed by a massive slog up the slopes to the bealach...

Having seen it's slopes from Ben Vane on my last trip, I knew it was going to be steep and the mountain didn't disappoint. It was indeed a slog but the views prompted me to take the odd breather.

After about an hour, I found... A PATH! McNeish..you liar!

Followed this well defined path to the summit trig and on to the true summit. Had the obligatory lunch and then returned by this path to the road, where it was marked by a small cairn at the roadside.

All in all it took just under 6 hrs, but as I say, the weather was fantastic and the views over Lomond breath taking.

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David Thomson
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Re: Ben Vorlich, Arrochar

Postby mountain coward » Mon May 10, 2010 9:53 am

I found a path running along just below the ridge when ascending the same way as you... however, it definitely didn't go to the summit - it stopped about 50 feet below it for some reason. The track you found which you followed back down to the road - any chance you could roughly draw the route on another map please? I'd like to do the hill again as I saw absolutely nothing last time but thought it would be a nice walk on a nice day
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Re: Ben Vorlich, Arrochar

Postby David Thomson » Sun May 23, 2010 3:09 pm

I'll give it a go mate.

However, just in case I fail miserably, here goes with some directions.

Follow the path to the dam and about 300m from it start looking for a small cairn on the right hand side of the road. It really is a small cairn, about 30cm high. Step over the small ditch and head on up through the marshy slope for about 50m and you will eventually see the path.

This will take you up to the ridgeline and then it heads left towards the summit.

I seem to remember passing what could be described as a path on my flog up the slopes, but passed it off as a sheep track. It wasn't til I reached the ridgeline proper that the path appeared. I reckon I was about 100 to the left of the path form the road.

I will try and get a more detailed map posted but on 1:50000 you take your chances.

Alternatively, I see you are in the Dales. I live in Ripon and if you get stuck, would be happy to have a blether.

Good luck!

Davie
David Thomson
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 8
Munros:30   Corbetts:3
Donalds:2
Hewitts:27
Wainwrights:27   
Joined: May 9, 2010
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Re: Ben Vorlich, Arrochar

Postby Paul Webster » Tue May 25, 2010 3:15 pm

The path is taken by the walk description on this site - including on the map and gps points :D .
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Re: Ben Vorlich, Arrochar

Postby mountain coward » Wed May 26, 2010 3:03 am

Ripon's a lovely town and not far away at all... plus, it's fairly on the way to see my brother in Malton and also near the lovely Ripley ice cream - so you never know - I may pop over for a blether sometime! :D

Thanks for the clarification of route - I'm sure I took the same path up to around the ridge but at some point ended up on a path traversing along the mountain just below the ridge-top (was a bit too devious for a sheep track) which then ended abruptly but just below the summit. It was such an awful clag that I'm really hoping we made the actual summit - we've just had to do Beinn Ime again from that weekend as we went to the subsidiary summit in the clag on that one - when I saw a later photo, I realised I hadn't made it :( Luckily it's a nice hill in a nice area so I didn't mind doing it again!
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