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A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!


Postby MarilynMunro » Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:43 am

Route description: Ben A'an

Date walked: 01/03/2013

Time taken: 3 hours

Ascent: 481m

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I haven’t been out too much recently, a few days in the Pentlands and a curtailed day on Beinn Chabhair. So after reading recently of Ben A’ an in a well known walking mag, I thought it looked like a wonderful option for a short day out.
A quick drive over towards Aberfoyle via Callander and I was parked up at 0945, the £3 parking charge duly paid I was across the road and heading up right away. I simply love walking through forest paths and this is a beauty, steep, and dry underfoot it was an enjoyable stroll up through the trees, with fleeting glimpses back down to Loch Achray, and up ahead to my destination.
Loch Achray.JPG

The path is well defined all the way. The weather was glorious all day, bright sunlight and clear skies, the air clarity allowing great views all around.
Soon I cleared the conifers and the ground opened up to a birch plantation and stirring views up to the summit, and Ben Venue.
You little beauty.JPG

Ben Venue.JPG

Ben Venue, up close and personal.JPG

It was here that I encountered the scourge of all easily accessible hills, wonderful views clearly enjoyed by moronic dipsticks who can carry food and drink up a hill but inexplicably can’t carry empty packets home with them. F&*#+rs. Once off my high horse, I quickly picked up discarded beer cans, food packets etc, and stashing them to be picked up on the way down.
The “climb” up to the summit is quite steep but is more like a staircase than anything else, helpful and welcome on the way up but I could tell it was going to be hell on the knees on the way down.
I opted for a route which swung around the back of the top and soon found myself presented with picture postcard views, particularly Loch Katrine and northwards, to the Mamores and beyond
Loch Katrine.JPG

After a little stroll around the summit it was time for lunch, a bit of Piri Piri pasta and soak up the scenery. This to me is what walking is all about, hidden gems, unexpected rewards, a relatively small hill offering staggering views in weather we mostly dream about, and apart from the forestry tracks over the other side of Loch Achray, no sign of civilisation anywhere........bliss
All to soon it was was time to head home, truthfully I could have stayed all day.
I was surprised that I didn’t see a soul on my way up, I’d thought this would have been a particularly busy hill, but soon enough encountered about half a dozen groups, strung out, on their way up.
I had a lovely chinwag with a gentleman up from Suffolk, who was having a short day in between his bigger targets during his holiday, hopefully he and the others will all have enjoyed the views as much as I did.
Soon enough I was back at my car as more groups turned up for afternoon walks. I spoke with a couple of local ladies who said they often walked this hill, and if I lived locally I would too. If you haven’t tried this hill, give it a go, little effort -maximum payback.
A few assorted phots of my day, if only my photography skills could have done the views justice.

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MarilynMunro
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby SusieThePensioner » Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:50 am

Glad to see you're out and about again, Jim, and on such a beautiful day :D
I enjoyed your report and great photos :thumbup:
MarilynMunro wrote:if only my photography skills could have done the views justice.

I think it's plain to see what fantastic views you had and the wonderful weather 8)
MarilynMunro wrote:hell on the knees on the way down

Hope you didn't suffer too much :roll:
MarilynMunro wrote:by moronic dipsticks who can carry food and drink up a hill but inexplicably can’t carry empty packets home with them. F&*#+rs.

You are totally right about these people :shock:
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby ballarat » Wed Mar 06, 2013 9:26 am

nice report,nothing wrong with pics,they bring the views right into my living room cheers
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby The Rodmiester » Wed Mar 06, 2013 9:34 am

Ok then, yhat's another added to my 'TO DO' list, looks a fine wee hill, must save it for a clear sky day, preferably mid week :D Thanks for posting.
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby Fudgie » Wed Mar 06, 2013 10:55 am

One of the best viewpoints in Scotland 8)

We drove past the car park on Sunday after climbing Ben Ledi and it was absolutely heaving. I doubt you could have got any more cars in so going on Friday would have been a lot quieter :wink:
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby monty » Wed Mar 06, 2013 11:02 am

Lovely set of photos M. Nice :D
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby PeteR » Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:38 pm

One of the best 'small hills' out there :D The view of Loch Katrine is sublime on a clear day :D And you had a clear day :D Great photos of a great little hill :clap:
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby PeteR » Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:40 pm

Oh........and I agree on the litter :( Winds me up too when I see it left lying. Makes you feel like you are out on litter duty when you should be enjoying the walk instead :( Some advice though.......stay well clear of Ben Nevis :shock:
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby Johnny Corbett » Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:34 pm

The Rodmiester wrote:Ok then, yhat's another added to my 'TO DO' list, looks a fine wee hill, must save it for a clear sky day, preferably mid week :D Thanks for posting.
Don't forget to make the wee diversion to Meall Gainmheich Rod and you'll get a Sub 2k for your effort as well as the superb views from Ben A'an :D
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby The Rodmiester » Wed Mar 06, 2013 6:06 pm

Johnny Corbett wrote:
The Rodmiester wrote:Ok then, yhat's another added to my 'TO DO' list, looks a fine wee hill, must save it for a clear sky day, preferably mid week :D Thanks for posting.
Don't forget to make the wee diversion to Meall Gainmheich Rod and you'll get a Sub 2k for your effort as well as the superb views from Ben A'an :D

Thanks for that JC, I will check that out, fuel is too pricey to miss out a wee one nearby :D
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby Graeme D » Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:11 pm

The actions of a few high profile morons never fail to disappoint and amaze in equal measure! :(

Nice pics though and glad to learn there is a wee Sub nearby too! :D
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby hills » Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:26 pm

One of the finest views around I reckon, could never tire of it. The onward route to the parent hill is a right growth guddle, one for the winter....
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby Alan S » Wed Mar 06, 2013 10:55 pm

Always good to see a report on this hill, one of my favourites, glad you got good views 8)

hills wrote:One of the finest views around I reckon, could never tire of it

agree wi that :D

I have been up this 8 times now and havent seen too much litter up here, hopefully it was an off day :D
The only thing that annoys me is having to now pay £3 to park.
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby MarilynMunro » Sat Mar 09, 2013 5:01 am

Apologies for not taking time to reply, busy offshore and a gentle kick up the erchie from a friend:wink: got me in gear

SusieThePensioner wrote:Glad to see you're out and about again, Jim, and on such a beautiful day :D
I enjoyed your report and great photos :thumbup:
MarilynMunro wrote:if only my photography skills could have done the views justice.

I think it's plain to see what fantastic views you had and the wonderful weather 8)
MarilynMunro wrote:hell on the knees on the way down

Hope you didn't suffer too much :roll:
MarilynMunro wrote:by moronic dipsticks who can carry food and drink up a hill but inexplicably can’t carry empty packets home with them. F&*#+rs.

You are totally right about these people :shock:

Sue
Thanks for the kind words, thoroughly enjoyed my day out, the knees aren't too bad, photos aren't in your league and never will be

ballarat wrote:nice report,nothing wrong with pics,they bring the views right into my living room cheers

Thank you,ballarat, you' re too kind.

The Rodmiester wrote:Ok then, yhat's another added to my 'TO DO' list, looks a fine wee hill, must save it for a clear sky day, preferably mid week :D Thanks for posting.

Cheers, Rod
Those lists never get shorter :lol: , enjoy when you get there.

Fudgie wrote:One of the best viewpoints in Scotland 8)

We drove past the car park on Sunday after climbing Ben Ledi and it was absolutely heaving. I doubt you could have got any more cars in so going on Friday would have been a lot quieter :wink:

You're not wrong about the views, simply awesome, I was also surprised how quiet it was early doors

monty wrote:Lovely set of photos M. Nice :D

Cheers Monty, (very) belated congratulations on your completion, and enjoying the the recent reports you've been posting.

PeteR wrote:One of the best 'small hills' out there :D The view of Loch Katrine is sublime on a clear day :D And you had a clear day :D Great photos of a great little hill :clap:

Thanks Pete,
Your dead right about litter duty, makes me feel like a Womble, now you mention it that is maybe a unconscious reason I haven't headed for Ben Nevis, I'd probably be apopleptic

Johnny Corbett wrote:
The Rodmiester wrote:Ok then, yhat's another added to my 'TO DO' list, looks a fine wee hill, must save it for a clear sky day, preferably mid week :D Thanks for posting.
Don't forget to make the wee diversion to Meall Gainmheich Rod and you'll get a Sub 2k for your effort as well as the superb views from Ben A'an :D

Didn't consider it on the day, didn't have a lot of time, but just a reason to head back :D

Graeme D wrote:The actions of a few high profile morons never fail to disappoint and amaze in equal measure! :(

Nice pics though and glad to learn there is a wee Sub nearby too! :D

Thanks Graeme. Like you say, what is it that makes people behave like that, amongst other things
I'm surprised that wasn't on your radar, its a wee beauty

hills wrote:One of the finest views around I reckon, could never tire of it. The onward route to the parent hill is a right growth guddle, one for the winter....

Was thinking about heading up Meall Gainmheich after JC's recommendation, I might put it on "the other list" after hearing about the growth guddle :lol:

Alan S wrote:Always good to see a report on this hill, one of my favourites, glad you got good views 8)

hills wrote:One of the finest views around I reckon, could never tire of it

agree wi that :D

I have been up this 8 times now and havent seen too much litter up here, hopefully it was an off day :D
The only thing that annoys me is having to now pay £3 to park.

Cheers Alan, its now one of my favourites, fortunately or unfortunately depending on my waistline, its also (too)close to Mhor Fish

The litter was all up around the viewpoint near the birch trees, now I can see why folk would head up there for a picnic, great views and sheltered, but take your rubbish home with you.... Please
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Re: A’an(other) thing....take your rubbish home with you!!

Postby gammy leg walker » Sat Mar 09, 2013 7:38 am

Good to see you back out MM ,and on my favourite wee hill the views are simply stunning on a good day.
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