Kinlochard, so turn down left into the corrie, on the well-built new path. It runs down the rocky little valley and through clear fell into the woodland.
All the descent turnings apart from the second one are clearly signposted – after crossing a first forest road and turning left on a lower one, it's the path down right, between two boulders, that lacks a marker.
Having descended to the forest road top, you could instead of turning left (signed 'car park') continue directly downhill past Loch Achray Hotel: slightly shorter, and an easier finish by starlight. Otherwise, follow the signposts to return via the charming footbridge. At the final path junction, take whichever path you didn't use on the outward walk for the last 400 metres to the car park. For those with two cars or a chauffeur, from Achray to Kinlochard via Ben Venue is a popular crossing.
Path repair team descending the hill path to Ben Venue
ROUTE 2
Ben Venue (Achray Horseshoe)
| Start/Finish | Ben Venue car park, Loch Achray NN 505 067 |
| Distance | 15km/9½ miles |
| Total Ascent | 900m/3000ft |
| Time | 6hr |
| Terrain | Grassy hill, tracks and a very rugged descent |
| Max Altitude | Ben Venue 729m |
| Maps | LR 57; Expl 365; Harvey Ben Venue |
This wide horseshoe of Gleann Riabhach turns Ben Venue into a richly varied adventure. There's a peaty ridgeline, with wide views in the moments when you're not stumbling over a tussock, but which suddenly gives way to a surprising high-altitude track and a peculiar building complete with ricketty balcony. After that comes the rocky ascent of Ben Venue itself.
But the real interest is reserved for the descent. From various points on the upper hill you look down on Loch Achray. Attempting to follow your eyeline down towards it from any of them will get you onto very nasty ground with hidden crags. Don't attempt this in mist unless your navigation is very confident. The route-finding would be easier taken uphill – as you can see the crags – but the ruggedness of the heather makes this option unpleasant.
Start along Route 1 to where the signposted path crosses the final forest road (NN 491055). Turn left along the forest road up-valley. It crosses a large stream, and in another 300 metres ends at a turning area. A much rougher path continues ahead, slanting up to a conspicuous little outcrop, where it turns uphill to just below the top of the felled plantation. At a junction, turn back right to reach the very top of the tree stump zone (NN 486 045).
Head steeply up a rocky knoll just above, then up the slope to the minor top Meall Carraidh (NN 485042). Cross rough ground southwest to the derelict fence that marks the ridgeline. Follow this westwards over Beinn an Fhogharaidh, with a few peat hags to work through. ‘Foghar’ is harvesting; the hill is ‘Ogharray’. When a small pool is on the right-hand (north) side of the fence, cross through the fence to find a grassy track just below. This runs easily along the ridgeline. Before Stob an Lochain, it forks: head up right to the cairned summit, and the strange small building on its southern side, a disused fire-watchers' hut.
Beware of the track leaving Stob an Lochain as it spirals, so that you may find yourself returning along your path of arrival. Instead keep north, following a few fence posts over two very minor summits. At the second one, Creag a' Bhealaich, turn down northeast for a rugged ridgeline towards Ben Venue. In the 580m col, you reach a sprawling cairn.
On Ben Venue: looking back up the descent route above Loch Katrine. The route goes up to right of the stream cave, then leftward up the grassy dip to the col on the summit ridge.
Keep ahead on the well-worn Ben Venue 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.
