Running up Ben Vorlich
I had been meaning to visit Ben Vorlich on the edge of Loch Earn for some time, but through the various lockdowns the limited parking and singletrack road had put me off. However I had a Monday off work so I decided today was the day and set off. As soon as I reached the M9 and started heading towards Callendar the lack of any visible hills became clear that it was going to be a bit murky at best but I was committed now.
The parking was very quiet as I had hoped so I set off up the well made track in the light rain. Loch Earn is a nice quiet place, with a lovely estate house in well kept grounds. I would like to live there when I become landed gentry one day.
About a third of the way up I stopped to take some more photos as the weather felt like it was closing in, with the mist moving up the valley threatening to envolope me completely. At this point I met a soggy looking chap coming back down who informed me it was worse on top. At that point it occured to me that I probably should have checked the weather forecast as clearly the only people out had made an early start and were aiming to be done by the time I would be at the top.
The rain continued and a reasonable headwind picked up as I began to gain the ridge leading to the summit. The temperature wasn’t too bad though so I felt warm enough. It was nice to find a sheltered spot and look back down where I had come. The mist was swirling over and around me at this point very pleasingly, and the rain had mostly stopped which was good. It was clear there wasn’t going to be a view at the top and I toyed with the idea of turning round as I was beginning to feel a bit knackered by this point.
The ridge became a bit steeper at this point and I reverted to walking, and before long I had reached the summit trig. At this point I made a bit of a mistake and on retracing my steps accidently followed a path south westerly rather than northerly. Fortunately i realised this fairly quickly and contoured around broken ground while being watched by some amused sheep. It occured to me that experience hasn’t stopped me doing stupid stuff like heading in completely the wrong direction off the summit, but it has sped up the process of realising thats what had happened! I’m very glad i didn’t mindlessly descend all the way to the A84 as it would have been a very long way back to the car!
Back at the parking I really wished I had bought a change of clothes/some swimmys as Loch Earn was very inviting for a quick dip in the misty autumnal rain. Next time!
