free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Ben A’an……… not a Munro, not a Corbett and not a Graham or Donald but a very fine “small pointed peak”
Not been for a while but had kids up here a few times from early on and a grand family day out when three generations reached the top for a some fine photo opportunities…. I have fond memories of Ben A’an as I’m sure many of you do as well…… Time was right to head back.
Video reports:
My last wild camp was a memorable trip to Glencoe at the end of 2014, and what a trip it was. I headed out on various excursions until my knee let me down in April…. Surgery is scheduled for November but I’ve been busy at physio in last 6 months trying to strengthen it. A few weeks ago I ventured into Glen Almond on the bike and this gave me confidence to try a wild camp. Ben A’an was chosen, a fine peak and not too strenuous so as to overdo it for the knee…… The weather has been glorious and so it proved to be in Trossachs for this trip.
Another positive from not being in the hills for most of the year is that’s it’s given me time to pursue some other interests. One of these has been my fascination with drones, these would add a new dimension to the Steaming Boots library, so I finally purchased one a few months ago and have been practising in muddy fields!!! This was going to be my first wild camp with my new toy- fun indeed!
So having done some research, I realised the normal route was closed due to the forest clearance, so I headed for the Ben Venue car park when I left nervously at around 16.30. Slowly I headed up through the new path, I rather liked it, in act I preferred it, and the forest seemed less commercial? I was taking it really slowly but there was no rush and the blue skies and warm weather was making it enjoyable, however these same factors were also making me worried for one reason – would the midge descend on me!! (thankfully I had packed my Smidge which came in useful!!)
The first people I met was at the confluence of the diversion back onto the old path and near the “rest stone “ before the final pull. Brightening my mood they said I’d have the summit to myself and that only two others were behind them. I said my hellos and slowly headed on. I soon met the last couple to leave the summit, we said our hellos and I took the opportunity to chat for a while to rest the knee. It was getting stiff and sore but I didn’t have too far to go. The skies were blue and the views extensive as I reached the summit of the “small pointed peak”.
I scrambled to the top and soaked in the views – amazing !!!
Watching and waiting (1 of 1) by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
Next I set up camp, and what a site I found! An amazing place to camp and the peak certainly feels like it should be worthy of a higher status – a Munro a least a Corbett
The only other chore was to find water – always a chore on summit camps as you have to drop a little to find any… My prior map research proved worthy while and a little excursion found me some water, my knee was not liking this excursion so I was glad that I was now settled for the night – time to play with the cameras……
Phanotom summit shot3 by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
As always I took so many videos and photos, I didn’t get tea till dusk had passed and even after that I was out playing with apertures, shutters, F stops and ISOs to see what setting would give me some astro star shots !! Much fun!!!!
SCAP bgd (1 of 1) by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
summitnight (1 of 1) by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
I eventually hit the hay about 22.00hrs.
As always I was up early – 05.00hrs or there about…. I peeked outside and the moon light revealed what I had hoped for – an inversion. The cloud covered both Loch Achray and Katrine and joined in the middle giving one large loch of fog!! I was soon up and snapping away again.
SCARP SUNRI (1 of 1) by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
SCARP CALM (1 of 1) by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
Sunrise was about 7.20am so I brewed up some required caffeine and had breaky about 06.30am. Some how meals always taste better on a wild camp? The first sign of dawn were showing and I waited patiently for the sunrise….
TROSSACH SUNRISE Ben A'an by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
Sunny VENUE (1 of 1) by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
It was amazing – with the inversion and being above the cloud, watching the sunrise was one of those moments I live for. Most people are still tucked up in bed and those who are not are looking out of the window thinking the weathers poor
– not up here………. I hope the video does it justice.
I headed back and was back at the car for 08.15 with rather stiff and sore knee. The descent as expected was testing but am I glad I did this? I hope the answer is obvious…..
moon above Ben Venue after a wild camp on Ben A'an by
Scotland's Mountains, on Flickr
