Ben Venue

Ben Venue from the start of the walk at Achray

View northwest over Loch Katrine

Ben Ledi, Loch Achray and Loch Venachar

A skyline of Munros over Loch Katrine

Cruach Ardrain, Stobbinnein and Ben More

Ben Lomond and the Arrochar Alps from the summit

Saturday 12 November 2011

Ascent: 740m , 
Distance: 14 km,  
Time: 2 hrs 43mins

Ben Venue        729m      1hr 35mins

Gregor and I had arranged a walk tomorrow but by midday, the sun had created a rare warm and clear November day. We decided to miss lunch and drive over to Loch Achray to climb Ben Venue, the walk that we chickened out of a couple of days ago.  We treated it as a local jaunt - no map, no waterproofs, no drinks or food and an intention to be down long before dusk.  We were walking by 1:15pm.

Although I have climbed this hill on a score or more occasions, it is quite a few years since I have climbed it from the east side. I usually walk from Ledard farm on Loch Ard or from the back of the house if there is more time. The walk through the forest from Loch Achray was quite invigorating in the late autumn sun and we had no intentions of wasting any time on the way up. We eventually emerged from the forest trails and entered the open hillside but after another half kilometre on a steep path, we were back in another forested area with rivulets scoring the surface of the path.  We had to scatter to make way for two mountain bikers who were rolling and tumbling down the track.

When we emerged from this forest we were at 400 metres and the track became a bit of a bog. It is easier to be in trail shoes in these conditions, your feet get wet anyway and far better with a lightweight ball of mud than boots that remind you of the sodden leather footballs that we played with at school.  The track meandered through rocks and into the upper glen so I decided to strike out and make direct for the summit. It was a good decision and I was there 10 minutes before Gregor who had taken the tourist route. The views were stupendous, particularly to the northwest and it was good to see Loch Achray and Loch Venachar splayed out below - these are places that have been at the heart of my life for the past 34 years.

We left the summit just before 3pm and made good time by the simple expedient of heading straight down the steep hillside to the south. I then headed off on a forest track that I hoped would take me to the Dukes' pass whilst Gregor went to collect the car at Achray and then picked me up on the pass.  We had managed the outing quite a bit quicker than we had anticipated and were home in broad daylight which will amuse some friends. I only realised on returning home how strenuous the exercise had been and we have a lot more of this planned for tomorrow.