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T and I had been trying to organise another hill walk but weather and circumstances kept getting in the way. We finally fixed on this date but the weather as ever was the deciding factor on what to go up and where if at all. After much examination of the met office site finally figured that the afternoon in the vicinity of Callander might be a good bet. So we agreed to meet in Callander and then head for Benvane. After a bit of a wrong turn (or rather missing the turn altogether) we made it to the suggested parking spot. Weather was still a bit drizzly but I was living in hope that the Met Office would come through. Any way crossed the bridge, up the steep bank, headed over the field and found there were two gates but no sign to Brig of Turk. Took the right hand gate and headed up the hill. I was in new boots with blister plasters on due to my attempts in the past week to break them in walking along the ash lagoons, sea wall. So at first I found my feet were a bit tender but thankfully that wore off. Unfortunately though it did start raining really heavy, the wind grew stronger and the ground got more sodden. I was thinking 'oh no' not another Cruach Ardrain drench fest. However once we made it up to the Lianach, the rain eased, cloud lifted and even the sun appeared along with a tantalising glimpse of the top.
- A brief glimpse
We carried on across Lianach (don't know what this means - google translate doesn't either) and had some interesting views.
- Looking North towards the hills above Balquhidder
- Looking SE from Lianach
There were various big wet gloopy bits on the Lianach but eventually we saw the fence.
- The fence
Now which stile to cross. There was a stile at the corner but it turns out this is not the stile. It's the next one.
Walking alongside the fence there were some nice views. T kindly stood in the photo to give a sense of scale or whatever it is.
- Looking east'ish
- Looking SE'ish again
- Looking South'ish over Loch Lubnaig
After the stile it was not long to the top. At first it was bit cloudy with Glen Finglas reservoir deciding to do a UFO impersonation.
- The UFO ! No - Glen Finglas reservoir
But the cloud cleared and one of the two fine people who reached the top just before us told us that our walk had clearly not been in vain (vane - geddit!).
- Looking toward Ben Ledi from the top
Had lunch at the top with a nice view.
- Lunch
Started on the way back down. Took a last photo from the top. Looking west-north-west'ish. Not sure what the loch in the distance is. Do you?
- Summit NW'ish
Had some nice views of Ben More on the way back down but stupidly did not take a photo. Ah, well next time.
- Looking North over Lianach on way down
- Last photo looking North before coming off Lianach