Beinn Dubh (Loch Chon)

17 April 2011

Participants - Us
Where - Beinn Dubh (Loch Chon), 511m/1,675', Sub-2,000' Marilyn, Map 56, NN 404045

It was only a short drive today- up to Aberfoyle and then along Loch Ard to a parking place at the start of the track to Comer, which sits at the foot of the east face of Ben Lomond. I climbed Ben Lomond from this side once, a long time ago, but remember it as being a long way. The parking place was at the side of Loch Dhu, which with its surrounding conifers looked a bit Canadian.....

The track in was perfectly surfaced and put East Dunbartonshire roads to shame. After the initial mile or so, the walk was dominated by the view of Ben Lomond ahead.....

This would be a lovely glen were it not for the conifers and the electricity pylons but I suppose that the track is the compensation. Quite a bit of the forest on the Beinn Dubh side had been cleared, although I noticed that replanting with more conifers had begun. Shame. Shortly after the power lines crossed the track, another track branched off to the right traversing steeply up the hillside so I took it. Higher up, it turned into a path composed of brash, which was a bit tiring to walk on.....

and then after a bit seemed to carry on round the hill rather than up so at that point I took to the cleared hillside. It was a bit awkward underfoot but the felled area only lasted for a short distance. However, I had spotted a more serious obstacle ahead- a fence. I am now studying maps before I set out to ensure that there are as few obstacles for Ben as possible on the walks; however, this fence was not marked on the map. And it was no broken down specimen this. It was solid and there didn't seem to be any gates. I tried a bit of gardening below the fence where it crossed a small gully but there was no way that Ben was getting through that. So only one thing for it- I had to lift him over. Fortunately, it was a low fence; I am afraid that a deer fence would have seen us having to retreat. Beyond the fence we were on to rough moorland and were soon passing a wee loch on the ridge (the Crianlarich hills distant).....

It was not far from there to the summit and a small cairn which probably reflects the number of visitors that this hill gets.....

Moorland dominated the scene, this is looking north-west with the Arrochar Alps distant.....

It was a hot day now and Ben found a pool in a rock close to the summit in which to cool off....

We wandered about a wee bit to see if there was any way of avoiding the fence on the descent. There wasn't but we got a better view of Ben Lomond across Glen Dubh from one of the knolls we visited.....

So it was back the same way with Ben visiting lots of pools at the side of the track. Needless to say, we had this one to ourselves!