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Introduction
The Loch Earn & Trossach summits are a popular group of weekend hills. Ben Vorlich and Stud a' Chroin form good viewpoints for the central belt of Scotland. Many Forestry plantations cover the lower parts of the Glens and even some mixed woodland on the road to Loch Katrine exists. It's a popular area, and so your may have to be imaginative if you want solitude during weekends and holidays here.
Ben Vorlich and Stud a
Chroin seen from the west |
Ben Ledi seen from the
Forth Valley |
Stuc a' Chroin seen from the way up from Glen Ample South of Loch Earn
Between Loch Earn and Callendar lies the forest of Glen Artney. Ben Vorlich and Stuc a' Chroin are the two sole munros and are the only targets on most peoples maps. They overlook the empty moors draining into Glen Artney. Most of the hills here are around 600 - 700m in height and quite smooth leaving the munros to rise up in splendid isolation - often being the first munros seen on the drive northwards through Stirling on the M9.
Looking up Glen Ogle from the
south road of Loch Earn |
Moorland on the north side of Loch Earn
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The wild forest of Glen Artney The approach to Ben Vorlich normally starts from Loch Earn and goes either via the conifer plantations of Glen Ample or Glen Vorlich. Glen Vorlich is most direct and provides views of Ben Lawers to the north. The ascent from Glen Ample sees the imposing nose of Stuc a' Chroin in full view to frighten you off as you ascend. Ben Vorlich while mostly grassy, has an elegant crest on its summit while Stud a' Chroin provides the opportunity for a sporting scramble on the link between the two munros.
Ben Vorlich seen from Stuc a' Chroin |
Beinn Each seen from stuc a' Chroin |
From Ben Vorlich, a path can be seen ascending Stuc a' Chroin diagonally right on very steep ground to the right of the nose. I've never been on this path but have instead traversed left beneath the nose and ascended via a steep grassy gully to the summit ridge of Stuc a Chroin.
Looking down a remote Glen between
Stuc a' Chroin and Beinn Each |
Looking at the final rise up the
north slopes of Beinn Each |
South of the Stuc, lies a Corbett by the name of Beinn Each that makes a logical traverse for anyone wanting to do a north - south traverse of the high tops. The going becomes muh more knobbly with a series of minor bumps and broken crags to get around. From Ben Each, it's fairly straightforward to get to the Glen Ample path where it descends swiftly through another plantation to the main road at Loch Lubnaig - a very satisfying walk.
Comrie
Further east from Loch Earn lies the village of Comrie. North of Comrie lies some desolate mountains and moorland. The highest of which is Ben Chonzie - regarded by many to be the dullest. I can see that view yet it does command some excellent views with Ben Lawers to the north, the eastern highlands to the north east and the Ochils to the south. The local views are also very wild. It may be regarded as a contender as the dullest munro but it's certainly more lively than most moors in the Pennines!
The southern view from
Ben Chonzie's south ridge |
Ben Chonzie seen
from the west |
The most popular route upto Ben Chonzie starts from Invergeldie farm within Glen Lednock and has an approximate round trip of three hours. Most of the ascent takes place up a bulldozed track which goes nearly all the way upto the summit ridge. Once on the ridge, a broad ridge undulates upto the summit where grand views can be had looking southeast into the deep trench of Glen Turret and north across desolate moorland across to Ben Lawers. If the view proves anything, it shows that an Ben Chonzie can easily be extended to include other summits covered over a much larger walk.
Loch Turret seen from Ben Chonzie |
Shee of Ardtainaig seen from Ben Chonzie |
Ben Ledi & Vane
Ben Ledi is a prominent Corbett seen from the Central belt. Driving from Stirling, it's the first mountain reached when driving to the southern highlands. Ben Ledi forms a fine view point from where the forth valley spreads out to the south while the highlands spread out to the north and west in a series of rolling trossach hills.
Ben Ledi seen from the North |
Glen Buckie, south of Balqhidder |
The summit ridge of Ben Ledi extending northward is well defined but the southern ridge is broad and the connecting bealach to the Corbett of Ben Vane is wide and peaty, numerous peat hags in this stretch.
Ben Vane seen from the north |
Loch Lubnaig |
Most approaches are made from the east from the Forests. A well defined path makes its way up to the southern ridge, boggy in places, it's badly eroded - unusual for a Corbett.
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