Walk: The lowdown on Vane

Argyll & Bute | Arrochar Alps | Half day walk | ★★★★

[East ridge of Ben Vane with Loch Lomond beyond]

At only 915 metres high, Ben Vane is Scotland's lowest Munro, but like many of the Arrochar Alps it's a feisty one. Steep, craggy sides fall away towards Loch Lomond, navigated by an unrelenting but entertaining hill path with a few easy scrambles to keep you on your toes. The top cairn is under four miles from the lochside car park and is a great viewpoint for the rest of the range (if you're lucky enough to get a decent day like we did): Ben Lomond and The Cobbler are just two of the celebrity summits visible from here.

[Ben Vane]

đź“Ś Walk: The lowdown on Vane ★★★★
Start / finish at car park (with charge) on A82 at Inveruglas Pier, G.R.: NN 322099 ///barks.canoe.mild

▶ 11 km / 7 mi | ▲ 930 m | ⌚ Half a day | ⬤ Tough
Features: Loch Lomond; △ Ben Vane (916 m, Munro)
Terrain: Roadside path for first half mile, then tarmac private road (with path to shortcut a long bend near start) and track to foot of hill. Steep hill path for ascent proper, occasionally boggy at first. A few short scrambles higher up are mostly avoidable.

Route & map

Car park & Loch Lomond ★★★★ - start of road to Loch Sloy - leave track for hill path at G.R.: NN 295093 (two options at first - southerly one is longer but drier) - Ben Vane - return by outward route


Route credit: Walkhighlands (modified)
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On our visit

Wildlife: Butterflies and moths, cows and calfs, sheep and lambs; cuckoo heard.
Weather: Sunny, breezy high up, warm enough for shorts.

Chronological photo guide

[Inveruglas]

[The approach is along a private tarmac road]

[Views of Loch Lomond soon open up on the ascent]

[Ben Vane]

[Crags dwarf parts of the hill path]

[A' Chrois (right) from the ascent]

[View back to Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond]

[Ben Vorlich & Loch Sloy]

[Summit approach]

[East ridge of Ben Vane with Loch Lomond beyond]

[Beinn Narnain (left) and Beinn Ime (right) from the summit]

[North ridge]

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