Ben Ledi

Saturday 8th March 2008 started very wet and windy and I wasn't sure it was a good idea to try for Ben Ledi after all, even though I'd come up to Scotland specifically to climb it. I'd lain awake in stirling Youth Hostel listening to the howling wind and rain.

On arriving in Callander by bus, about ten o'clock, it was obvious that there wasn't a lot of snow on Ben Ledi, and as the weather was improving I decided to "go for it". The walk along the old railway was a pleasant start, especially since I'm a railway enthusiast, Sadly, I never had the chance to travel on the Callander and Oban line as it closed when I was a young teenager.



The climb up through the forest, with much of it now cleared, was easy and the sun came out!




Once on the ridge to the summit winter reasserted itself with very strong winds that made progress anything but easy.



However, before too long I found myself at the summit enjoying lunch about 12.30 with a couple of walkers from Edinburgh. I was even offered a "wee dram", which I refused as I wanted to stay sober. Am I the only person who can get tipsy on a small glass of wine?



The snowy side of Ben Ledi from the top of Stank Glen

I'd originally intended to return down the main path but a chance conversation with another couple changed my plans as they'd come up from Stang. So I followed the faint and, at times, intermittent path down to the valley leading to the Stank Glen.




A pleasant walk of about four miles found me back in Callander at 4.30, in time for an early evening meal at a delightful Italian restaurant.

The wind had certainly slowed my progress considerably but, on the otherhand, it had made the walk much more memorable. And talking about memories, I'll never forget the sight of two mountain hares, in their white winter coat hurtling across the slopes of Ben Ledi as I headed down to Stank. These really made my first winter Scottish walk something special.