Benvane
In June 2025 I decided that I would attempt to climb Benvane by walking all the way from Callander and back - that's nearly 18 miles. My timing estimates using Naismith's Rule suggested it would be possible to reach the summit in about 4 hours 30 minutes so expecting a slightly quicker return downhill and also allowing some slack in the schedule I anticipated a day lasting between 10 and 10 and a half hours. I did consider hiring a taxi to get me to the car park at Stank, which would probably have saved about an hour's walk but in the end decided not to. In retrospect this was probably a mistake.
It's probably also worth pointing out that probably the easiest, and shortest, way to climb Benvane is from the north near Balquhidder but, as I wasn't using a car, this wasn't an option.
My day started on the 06:45 bus from Stirling to Callander and I left Callander at about half past eight on a day that already promised to be hot.
(08.31)
Leaving Callander the course of the old railway line towards Crianlarich and Oban was followed for the next hour and a half. It's part of cycle route No.7.
It's well surfaced and progress can be quick but keep an ear open for cyclists behind you - not all are considerate!
The earthworks of the Roman fort at Bochastle are still very clear in the fields.
There are reminders of the railway line, which closed in the mid 1960s, in the form of bridges and also the remains of concrete fence posts and wires still in place.
The path passes the Falls of Leny which can be glimpsed through the trees.
As the path approaches the Falls of Leny the railway crossed over to the opposite bank of the Garbh Uisge so a new section of path had to be constructed....
....above the river.
The old railway soon crossed back over the river again and beyond Stank car park the trackbed is now a road leading Strathyre Forest Holidays. This section of the walk was surprisingly busy with traffic and once again some drivers showed little respect for a pedestrian!
Over to the east the still waters of Loch Lubnaig reflect the hillside.
Just before Stank the way to Ben Ledi and Benvane diverges onto forest tracks......
...and immediately splits with the route to the hills bearing left.
It climbs in a series of gentle zigzags....
....giving views over Loch Lubnaig.
At the third bend a cut-off path diverges....
....and climbs through the trees....
...to reach the forest track at about NN577 104. At this point I was still exactly on time.
(10.15 - an hour and 45 minutes from Callander)
The path I had planned to take (signposted Ben Ledi) was closed, apparently due to the collapse of a bridge a few years ago.
The diversion took me away from where I wanted to be and meant about an extra kilometre. Signposting of the diversion was none existent.......
Walking along the diversion track the bealach I was aiming for came into view...
.....but interestingly the broad track shown on the OS 1:25000 map narrows to a footpath.
The open area at the head of Stank Glen is delightful although the black flies buzzing around in the heat were less so.
(11.00 - now 25 minutes behind expected time)
The path drops down to cross the Stank Burn...
...and the climb to the Bealach nan Corp begins. I stop for a chat with another walker which no doubt wasted 5 or 10 minutes!
Looking back down Stank Glen. Just beyond this point the path crosses a wire fence. There is no stile but there is a wire at chest height with a couple of rags hanging from it as a warning. Given that the wire serves no purpose I am surprised that it has not been removed. It would be a real hazard descending in the dark! Somebody needs to go out with a pair of wire cutters.
After crossing a wire fence the path climbs towards the bealach .....
....and I cut away from the path heading towards Ben Ledi and aimed for the skyline...
...where I knew there are the remains of an old fence line.
Seen from the Bealach na Corp the hills in the Trossachs are in view - Ben Venue is to the left and Ben Lomond in the centre with Loch Katrine below them. The photos has been manipulated slightly to make it clearer because of the heat haze.
I get my first view of the summit of Benvane which is just over 2 miles away as the crow flies but nearly 3 miles following the fence line.
I've deliberately recorded the walk in detail with photos taken every few minutes to give you a feel of what this walk is like.
(12.10 - now 30 minutes later than expected)
This delightful lochan is in a hollow on Bioran na Circe (722m) with quite a bit of descent down to it on the path. The up and down nature of this route is a feature of this walk and together with the marshy ground will cause me to steadily lose time.
(12.20)
The fence posts follow the administrative boundary shown on the OS maps and generally have a clear path by them. However, much of the ground is boggy and care is needed as to where you put your feet to avoid sinking into the marshy ground. There is a considerable amount of ascent and then descent even though much of the route is about 650m - 700m above sea level. This combination of problems means that my progress was slower than I'd expected. This photo was taken approaching the 662m top of Stuc Dubh
(12.42)
This is the path along the fence line on Stuc Dubh and can be seen rising and falling repeatedly.
(12.50)
It's actually a very pleasant walk but by this stage I was having doubts that I would reach Benvane's summit.
(12.53)
This is looking downhill approaching the low point at Bealach na Seann Lairige.
Looking north east down to Strathyre and the head of Loch Lubnaig.
(12.59)
To the south west is Glen Finglas reservoir.
There's a small meteorological station on one of the summits.
(13.12)
Heading down to the bealach which was very marshy.
(13.19)
The track climbs from about 600m up towards Creag Chaoruinneach
(13.27)
Climbing Creag Chaoruinneach.
(13.31)
Looking back towards Ben Ledi which can be directly ahead.
(13.35)
Looking down to Loch Lubnaig.
(13.38)
Approaching Creag Chaoruinneach.
(13.45)
A slightly unusual rock formation on Creag Chaoruinneach
(13.48)
The summit of Benvane can be seen directly ahead....
14.15 (now almost an hour and a half later than expected)
....but to get to it the fence line runs over the 753m high Meall a'Choire Dhuibh almost in a "U" shape and the ground is even boggier. It's going to need at least another half hour to get to the summit.
The panoramic photo below shows how the fence heads straight to the summit of Meall a'Choire Dhuibh (on the left) before turning up the final ridge to the summit of Benvane. Click on the photo see a larger image.
It was here that I decided I needed to stop and return to Callander in order to get the 19.00 bus back to Stirling. There was a later one at 20.55 but that would almost certainly have meant not having a meal.
So I sat down in the sun and ate a sandwich before setting off on the return to Callander. I finally arrived back in Callander at 18.30 having walked about 17 miles in 10 hours.
Was I vain to try and climb Benvane this way (sorry a dreadful pun!). If I had hired a taxi for the section to Stank I would almost certainly have completed the walk. However, it was an interesting walk and I have plans to tackle the hill from the north in the way that most walkers do.