path. It's initially steep and loose but then gets nicer. Where the path dips into a small col, look out for a side-path turning left, for only this takes you to Ben Venue's summit. It winds up among the rocks of the crest to the cairn at 729m (NN 474 063). In the next col, the bypass path rejoins, and climbs steeply with a crag above it to Ben Venue's trig point at 727m (NN 477 061). The ruined trig point is an even better viewpoint than the true summit.
See Route 1 for the simpler descent route. Descent Return down the steep crag-base path for just 100 metres, to the col before Ben Venue's true summit (NN 4762 0617). Now a little valley leads down to the right, just west of north, towards Loch Katrine. Soon slabby rocks are passed on your right, but when the slope opens out, keep on down the stream to the top of its little gorge (NN 4763 0661). Here head down to left (west) of the gorge, to cross the stream below its cave waterfall (NN 4762 0672). See picture above.
Now bear away to the right, north, to cross a second stream beside a rowan tree (NN 4765 0694). A small path starts here. Keep the same direction to a wide, wet col just around the corner (NN 4775 0705). Turn down right, into the top of a steep stream notch leading down towards two islands at the head of Loch Katrine. Your navigation problems are now over, although those of some very steep ground are about to start.
Traces of path lead straight down the notch, aiming directly for a fenceline far below. Where a stream starts to form, the path keeps on slopes 50 metres to right of it, marked by one or two small iron posts. Eventually you reach a fence corner at the foot of the steep ground.
Go through a fence gap, to find a clear path running to the right below the side-fence. It leads down into and through a little grassy valley. In another 100 metres, take a ladder stile on the left, and turn right, downhill, on a path that bends round left to the dam of Loch Katrine.
Cross the dam, and take the tarred lane ahead near Achray Water; it becomes the one used at the start of the outward walk. Just before it joins a road, turn right on the boardwalk path with waymarks. Where it divides, both branches lead quickly to the car park.
ROUTE 3
Ben A'an to Loch Katrine
| Start/Finish | Ben A'an car park, Loch Achray NN 509 070 |
| Distance | 6.5km/4 miles |
| Total Ascent | 450m/1500ft |
| Time | 3hr |
| Terrain | Good but steep path up; rough small path down |
| Max Altitude | Ben A'an 454m |
| Maps | LR 57; Expl 365; Harvey Ben Ledi |
Some might suppose that Ben A'an, with only a few metres of drop separating it from the higher Meall Gainmheich, isn't a hill at all. They would be wrong! Seen across Loch Achray, Ben A'an is a miniature mountain, and from the path by Allt Inneil it may well remind you of the Matterhorn. Below the crags the path is steep, but well repaired. The summit is, quite simply, one of the scenic spots of Scotland; the view is across to Ben Venue, downward onto oakwoods, and all the way along Loch Katrine.
Many will be content to return down the well-built path. The alternative descent route gives further views along Katrine, but is small, rough and quite steep, followed by a pleasant ramble back alongside the water.
Start across the A821 on an uphill track that quickly becomes a well-built path. It is rugged and ascends steeply, to cross Allt Inneil by a footbridge. Soon above this it levels in a clear felled area where natural regeneration is taking place, and gives an intimidating view of Ben A'an directly ahead.
The path crosses a forest track, then steepens under birch trees. It crosses a patch of level grass with boulders for sitting on. Here it bends right and ascends steeply beside a stream. It splits into vague branches to cross the stream, then runs up and to right of Ben A'an's rocky cone. At the stream top, ignore eroded short-cuts up left. The good path circles round to the col joining Ben A'an with the main slope behind, and turns left to the rocky summit of Ben A'an.
Descent You may prefer to return by the same steep but well-repaired path. For the rougher descent, return along the ridge north, on a path just to left of the main one. As the main path turns down right, the side path heads down left. It is small and not very clear as it runs down a dip, with the length of Loch Katrine ahead. It heads northwest, across a stream, to a stile (NN 4993 0842).
Path up Ben A'an; the clear-felled plantation here will soon be native birchwood
If you cross the stile you'll just have to reclimb the fence below. So head down to left of the fence to the top corner of a plantation. The path continues to left of the tall plantation fence, recrossing the stream, into oak woods. It is steep and rough, and in places wet and peaty. It drops onto the tarred track alongside Loch Katrine, arriving beside a cattle grid.
Turn left alongside the loch – the track was blasted out with gunpowder, but in Walter Scott's time this was a path suspended from the crags with heather ropes. Pass through the car park at the ferry pier Nice café with balcony here; also toilets. Expensive parking. onto the entrance road. After 800 metres, where a tarred lane turns off right, turn half-right onto a duckboard path. This runs east through open woodlands. Where it divides, the right-hand branch has better views up to Ben A'an but both reach the car park for Ben Venue. Turn left along A821 to a junction, and right for 250 metres to Ben A'an's car park.
ROUTE 4
Aberfoyle to Menteith Hills
| Start/Finish | Aberfoyle Riverside car park NN 521009 (or David Marshall Lodge NN 519015) |
| Distance | 16km/10 miles |
| Total Ascent | 700m/2300ft |
| Time | 6hr |
| Terrain | Two-thirds paths and tracks, one-third rough ground over the hills |
| Max Altitude | Craig of Monievreckie 400m |
| Maps | LR 57; Expl 365; Harvey Ben Venue |
The extreme northern edge of the Lowlands is formed of a layer of tough conglomerate (puddingstone) rocks, bent into an upright position by the movement of the Highland Boundary Fault. These rocks form the abrupt ridgeline of the Menteith Hills (as well as Conic Hill, four of the Loch Lomond islands and Callander Craigs). From its heathery, peaty vantage you look south across the Lake of Menteith to the Lowlands, and north across Loch Venachar to the Highlands.
You also look down on the woods and plantations of the Queen Elizabeth Park. The well-laid trails around David Marshall Lodge give relaxing walking under birch and oak and by small waterfalls. The junction of forest and hill here is also the joining point of Highland and Lowland, with a glimpse of the strange ocean-bottom rocks of the Highland Border Complex.
The start from the David Marshall Lodge makes the walk slightly shorter, but you'll have to pay for your parking. Skip straight to the second paragraph below.
Start