The current trend of 'bagging'
Munros has occasioned the effect of diverting some
hillwalkers away from many other fine hills which fail to
match up to the minimum height of 3,000ft/914m, but the
two Corbetts - hills over 2,500ft/700m with ascents of at
least 500ft/150m on every side - included in this route
offer an exceptionally challenging day's walking.
The traverse of this fine mountain route, much used in the
now distant days of the clans, offers magnificent views of
the innumerable lochs and hills of the southern highlands.
It is by no means an easy walk and anyone contemplating it
must ensure that they have the proper footwear, clothing
and navigational equipment. It is best to arrange to have
transport at both ends, though a local bus service is
available on certain weekdays. If leaving a car at
Balquhidder, parking is permitted in the grounds of the
village hall beside the telephone kiosk on a donation
basis. Drop a donation in the hall letterbox!
Start from The Meadows Car Park beside the River Teith in
Callander, situated off the main street opposite the
Dreadnought Hotel. Make sure that a parking ticket is
purchased and displayed on the car before setting out then
follow the cycle track, established along the line of the
former railway for the first 2¾ miles. Ahead, Ben Ledi
tends to dominate the first part of this walk. It is
thought that the long southeast slope of the mountain,
which runs down to Loch Venachar, perhaps gave it its name
of Beinn an Leothaid 'the mountain of the gentle slope'
although Beinn le Dia 'the mountain of god' is more
likely. Like Ben Nevis, local people refer to it as 'the
Ben'. Follow the track as it crosses the A821 near
Kilmahog through the Pass of Leny with views of the
tumbling River Leny on the right into the Forestry
Commission Stank car park at the beginning of the Ben Ledi
ascent route.
Follow the well defined, if somewhat rough forest path
steeply up through the trees. Above the tree line, cross
the fence and continue gradually uphill over some boggy
ground, keeping the steep sides of the hill on the right
(north). A scramble up the prominent shale score is NOT
recommended, as the ground is far less stable than it
appears. The intermittent track heads uphill and
southwards before swinging sharp right (west) and then
north to gain the crest of the long, grassy southeast
ridge. Stay on the undulating ridge over varied terrain to
the summit trig point. There is a prominent iron cross
beside the summit which was erected to commemorate a
member of the Killin Mountain Rescue Team, killed in a
helicopter crash on nearby Ben More.
The mountain summit is connected with La Buidhe Bealltuinn
'the yellow day of the fires of bel'. In bygone days, on
the 1st of May - the old Celtic New Year - young people
from the parishes of Aberfoyle, Balquhidder, Buchanan and
Callander met here to commemorate the ancient Druid rite,
the lighting of the Bealltuinn (Beltane) fires. Hearth
fires in the houses were cleared before midnight and new
ones lit in the morning from the embers of the sacrificial
ones lit on the hill.
Follow the easy northern ridge of Ben Ledi away from its
summit down to broken ground above Stank Glen (from the
Gaelic stang, pools) on past Lochan nan Corp 'the small
loch of the dead' then swing north westerly to Stuc Dubh
'black peak'. The name ‘Lochan nan Corp’ is believed to
have originated following the loss of a funeral party
which was heading over the route for a burial ground by
Loch Lubnaig in a winter storm. They crossed the snow
covered ice which subsequently broke and all were drowned.
The route continues over undulating ground, now following
a rusty line of fence posts, until reaching the lower,
eastern slope of Ben Vane and, eventually, its summit
cairn. Do not be tempted to stray from the relative
security of the fence posts, even though the path appears
to bear away from it at times to bypass boggy ground. It
is a very good navigational aid in adverse weather
conditions.
Stay on the northward ridge to the end of the line of
fence posts, then descend ahead on the narrow,
intermittent track into Glen Buckie meeting the Right of
Way path from Brig o' Turk to Balquhidder then out through
the gate in the high stone wall near the farm at
Balliemore, from where there is a tarmac road to the
finish. Stay on the road for some 2 miles/3.2km to a
junction just before the bridge that crosses the Balvaig
River. Bear left here and continue past the eastern end of
Loch Voil to the Kirkton of Balquhidder 'the township of
the back country' where there are historic churches dating
from 1631 and the graves of Rob Roy MacGregor - the famed
cattle dealer and warrior - his wife Mary (Helen) and two
sons Coll and Robert. The present church of 1855 is worth
a visit. |
WALK FACTS:
Distance: 13½ miles/21.7 km
Maps: OS Landranger Sheets 57; Explorer Sheet 365
Start/parking: Car Park at The Meadows,
Callander GR: NN 625079.
Finish: Balquhidder Village Hall GR: NN 534207.
Grading:A scenic,
if demanding traverse that includes two Corbetts - Ben
Ledi (2,884ft/879m) and Ben Vane (2,685ft/818m) - over a
mix of cycle track, rough and sometimes quite steep
terrain as well as some road walking to finish. It is
recommended for fit hillwalkers only.
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