Ben Ledi - the highest of the Trossachs

Date: 22-May-2010

Map: Landranger 57

Weather: Warm sunshine and blue skies.

 

A circular walk from the car park at Creag Dhubh, to the Stank valley, up to Ben Ledi and down again: 7.3 miles – as measured by the Satmap.

A last minute decision to nip up to Scotland for a quick walk, as the weather was much better than the Lake District. I've always liked the look of the Trossachs, so after looking at a few guides the night before I drove up to Callender and stopped at a nice quiet B&B, had a meal in the town at the excellent Callender Meadows on the high street. I woke up to sunshine, fluffy clouds, and breakfast served by a man with a kilt - no hair on my plate though. A quick drive along the old military road, crossing over the Garbh Uisge river, saw us parked up next to the cycle way at Creag Dhubh. The start of the walk was very flat along side the river on the Callender and Strathyre Cycle route, and very busy with a charity bike ride taking place. I ambled along catching a glimpse of the start of Loch Lubnaig, before the finger post that pointed us to Ben Ledi and the Stank Valley - nothing stinky about this place though - marvellous walking. The path wasn't very distinct initially and I wobbled around up some rough ground and through some trees to emerge out onto a forest ride.

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 on the cycle way looking at Ardnandave Hill

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 the beginnings of Loch Lubnaig

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 plenty of birch trees flourishing

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Ben Ledi at the start of the forest ride up the Stank valley

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 looking back down on the old military road from Callender

I could see the route ahead up the valley and the top of Ben Ledi high up above to the left. As I paused for breath, repairs and refreshments the views back over Callender were good, with Stirling in the distance and the Eidon Hills near Melrose in the distance. It was pleasant in the sunshine and I soon made ground up the valley side, quite peaceful for most of the journey, with the odd passer-by appearing now and again - but not too busy. Although this is the highest hill in the Trossachs, it's not a Munro, falling short at 2883ft - but it's worth it for the views. Ben Ledi is well known through Walter Scott's poem Lady of the Lake and apparently in ancient times, Beltane rites were observed on the summit. I followed a forestry ride up the valley which eventually gave way to a Ill worn footpath, passing by some old disused shielings. Here there wasn't a path marked on the OS map, but there's one on the ground, and it took us up a little more steeply to the Bealach nan Corp. All of a sudden the views opened up to the west, north and east - lots of hills to see from here and I wish I'd had a little more local knowledge. It's a little steeper up to the summit at Ghulainn Bhuidhe and up onto the ridge at Mullach Buidhe - but it's ok and nice and grassy, well worn down by many boots.

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 the path up to the beallach can be seen ahead

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 the view back down the Stank valley

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 Ben Ledi up to my left

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 just up from the Beallach nan Corp

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 not too steep up to the summit

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 big boys to the north

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 Loch Katrine with the big hills of Glencoe in the distance - I think

Up on the top the views are tremendous all around, out to the west over Loch Katrine to Ben Lomond - I missed this view when I walked Ben Lomond when on the WHW. The other way showed Ben Lui and Ben More and many bigger boys to the north east, towards Glencoe. Turning around to the south the views spread out over the plains beyond Callender. It was a glorious day in May with plenty of fair Iather clouds rolling past, and the summit was busy around the trig point. So I sat just below the trig point and had a sip of wine and a sandwich - delicious. Suitably refreshed I set off to drop down off the end of Ben Ledi - this is marked at Meall Odhar with a metal cross in remembrance of a local member of the Killin MRT. The track was easy to follow and the views continued to impress over Callender and Loch Venacher reservoir. The path dropped over a couple of steep little drops and follows the ridge down to the south east to easier ground where the path turns to the north west. The views changed once more down over Loch Lubnaig and north to Ben Lawers and Ben Vorlich. From here it was an easy descent passing through recently harvested plantation - what a mess they leave. Turning east the path drops further down through woodland, eventually leading directly back to the car park at the start. A delightful little walk is Ben Ledi - I must get up to Scotland more often - especially before the midges come out to play.

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 a gentle walk along the summit to the trig point

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 the view over Loch Lubnaig

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 looking back along the ridge

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 I thought they said Ben Jedi

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 great views beyond Callender

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 looking back up to Ben Ledi from the descent

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walking north now beneath Creag Ghorn 

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another view to the south east

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 this used to be down between plantation trees

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 plenty of harvesting has been ongoing

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a last walk down between some more trees - nice

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