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| Distance Height Start / Parking Approximate time Severity |
 8.5 miles 3030 ft Inveruglas carpark (Loch Lomond 4-5 hours Summer easy, winter - care and proper equipment essential |
List of harder walks
 Trossachs area Killin area Crianlarich area Tyndrum area Lomond/Arrochar area Dalmally area Glencoe and Fort William area |
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Ben Vane Lies between the 'Arrochar Alps' of Ben Narnain and its
ridge outlier A'Chroich and Ben Vorlich. Although it may be tackled as part of a longer
route which includes Ben Ime and Beinn Dubh this description takes the easier approach
from Inveruglas.
Ben Vane is a relatively easy walk in decent weather, but after leaving the hill road the going can be very wet for a little way. The last few hundred feet also offer the chance of a bit of scrambling if so inclined.
Description
Leave the Inveruglas car park and walk south for a few hundred yards, crossing to the west side of the road where the footpath begins. Follow the footpath along the side of the road and watch for the hill road leading up toward the hill after about half a mile. (don't try to use the paths with locked gates - these are private roads with no access to the hill). Follow the hill road for about a mile and take the left forl over the bridge where the Loch Sloy dam comes into sight upstream. After a few hundred yards the road crosses a burn and the hill track follows the burn for a short way before crossing the burn onto a very soft section before taking a direct path straight up a grassy slope.
Continue to follow the very obvious path which eventually becomes
firmer and climbs, occasionally through burn beds to the higher slopes. At about 1800 feet
the track more or less forces you to tackle some simple scrambles up crags which are on
the whole perfectly safe, even for the inexperienced. The hardest part is on the descent
when the 'easy way' down is not always obvious. After several false summits the top is
achieved.
All the way up the views behind you over Loch Lomond improve and extend until finally, at the summit a fine vista opens up with views in all directions.
A'Chroich is obvious to the south west with Ben Narnain - its main peak - hiding behind it, and behind that The Cobbler may be less recognisable when seen from this angle. Ben Ime is obvious over the bealach to the right of the cobbler and Ben Vorlich now lied behind you to the north east.
Fabulous views of Ben Lomond are on offer to the south east all the way up ben Vane with extended views over Loch Lomond to Loch Achray, Loch KAtrine and Bens Venue , A'an and Ledi.
A reminder - if icy the rocky section on the upper slopes will require care in winter.