Ben Venue from Ledard Farm

Summary

Ben Venue - one of the rockiest hills in the Trossachs - is not in view from Loch Àrd, which results in this approach being quieter than that from Loch Achray. Nonetheless the beautiful broadleaved woodland of the lower Ledard Glen provides a picturesque approach, though the upper glen is boggy. Once on the ridge, the views are magnificent.

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Grade

Bog Factor

3.5/5

Rating

Terrain

Path up the Ledard Glen is very muddy in places with a section of broken boardwalk requiring care. Boggy in the uppper glen. On Ben Venue itself the going is rough and rocky.

Deer Stalking information

Except for low ground on southern approach up Ledard Burn, all managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. No stalking issues.

Getting there

Start

Ledard Farm, Loch Àrd.

Public Transport

None to start.

Start Grid Ref

NN459022

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 11.5km / 7.25 miles
Time: 5 - 6 hours
Ascent: 812m (Profile)

Summits Climbed

Fiona: Ben Venue

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Walk Description

User reports (19)

Stage 1

There is a good sized layby on the road alongside Loch Àrd opposite the track to Ledard Farm. Begin the walk along the track to the farm, which is well-signed. Before reaching the farmhouse, parts of which are very ancient, a footpath sign (signed Hill Access) marks a left turn through a gate. Follow the path across the bridge and alongside the burn to the right. It then climbs between two fences before turning to the right again to climb through oak woodland. A short distance further there is a fine waterfall.

Stage 2

Continue beside the burn and alongside a fence and felled area on your left, ignore the stile and take care on the dilapidated wooden boardwalk head (can be overgrown with bracken in summer). Pass through a gate in a deer fence. The path now climbs into fine woodland on the west side of the burn, giving some fine views back to Loch Àrd. The path is muddy in places but the beautiful deciduous trees and fine setting are compensation for this. Take care to follow the route which forks left uphill (the marker post has gone) rather than following a faint path ahead towards the burn.

Stage 3

The section up the wooded glen continues for over a kilometre until the native trees are left behind. Here the path improves as it crosses the open ground with some blocks of commercial sitka spruce plantations ahead. The burn is crossed just above a small waterfall, shortly followed by a gap in the fence next to an old high. The path now bears left but from here to the bealach it is very boggy and eroded. At one point a giant mud-slide has wiped out a section of path although it is still passable.

Stage 4

The route bears right for the final ascent to the bealach where a low ruinous fence is crossed by a stile and Ben Venue comes into view at last. Continue on the path which contours the steep mountainside to the left of a ridge-line at first. After just over half a kilometre is descends briefly into a second bealach, marked by a very large cairn. Another path comes up from the right here - the usual ascent route for Ben Venue from Loch Achray. To continue the ascent climb steeply ahead from the bealach before continuing along the eroded path on the knobbly ridge. Excellent views now begin to open up over sections Loch Katrine over to the left, backed by several Munros, whilst further left Ben Lomond is particularly prominent.

Stage 5

Continue on the main path which crosses a low rise before descending to a boggy area. From here it cuts across the slopes before climbing into the gap between the twin summits of Ben Venue. Most people follow the main path to the southeast summit, with a rocky initial section before the path leads up to the shattered stump that remains of the trig point. This has the best views of Lochs Achray and Venachar and over towards the Lowlands.

Stage 6

The second summit (the northwest summit) is actually higher than this, but was bypassed by the main path. Head back to the dip between the two, then follow a narrower path that forks right and climbs to the true summit, marked by a small cairn. This has a truly stunning view over Loch Katrine and towards scores of Highland mountains.

Stage 7

For the descent, you can continue on a narrow and rocky path which soon returns to meet the ascent route. From here, the return to Ledard Farm is best made the same way, unless transport has been arranged in which case you could reverse the climb of Ben Venue from Loch Achray.

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