Ben Vane

[MarilynMunro]

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

Start point from the main road

Anybody seen the keys

Gnarly brute, take path to the left

A'Chrois

A'Chrois and Ben Lomond

Loch Sloy dam and Ben Vorlich in the clag

Looking back to Loch Lomond

Looking towards Ime and Narnain

BOGOF on Cairns

[Fudgie]

I've tried the cold bath option to help the legs and it does work but it's not easy to sit in

[MarilynMunro]

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

[gammy leg walker]

Good to see you back MM,was thinking you had went to the "dark side".Ben Vane is a steep wee toe-rag.

[MarilynMunro]

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".

[SusieThePensioner]

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

[bobble_hat_kenny]

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.

[MarilynMunro]

Apologies for not replying folks, just had a gentle reminder

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.

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.

[pollyh33]

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

[MarilynMunro]

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.

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.

[ChrisW]

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