Ben Venue – The Craggy Hill above Loch Katrine
About 8.7 miles on foot.
Ben Venue is the big craggy hill of the Trossachs, its two rocky tops standing over Loch Katrine and Loch Achray.
The path climbs out of the forest by Loch Achray to a high pass, then over rough ground to the summit, 729 metres up, with three lochs laid out in the forest below. It's a long, hard day for fit, experienced walkers, with tea at Trossachs Pier at the end.
- Time
- Five to six hours: about 14 km there and back from the Ben Venue car park on Loch Achray to the summit, 729 m, with 725 m of climbing. A hill, and a long day.
- The path
- Forest tracks and paths, then rough, boggy and rocky hill ground with some easy scrambling.
- Where to start
- Forestry and Land Scotland's Ben Venue car park on the A821, near Loch Achray: £2 up to an hour, £5 a day; coins, card or RingGo; Blue Badge holders free. It gets busy early.
- Set off
- From November to February, start by 9am to be down in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight, on a day with a good forecast. From November to February start by 9am. In snow and ice it is a winter mountain.
- Children
- A long, rough mountain day for older children who walk well and are used to hills.
- Toilets
- None at the car park; the nearest are at Trossachs Pier, 9am to 5pm.
- Before you set out
- Rough, boggy and rocky above the forest, with a little easy scrambling near the top: take a map, waterproofs and warm layers, and turn back in low cloud. In snow and ice it is a winter mountain.
The walk
The walk starts from Forestry and Land Scotland's Ben Venue car park on the A821, 200 metres south of the turning for Loch Katrine. Parking costs £2 for up to an hour or £5 for the day, by coins, card or RingGo, and the car park gets busy early. There are no toilets: the nearest are at Trossachs Pier.
Walkhighlands gives the climb as about 14 km there and back, five to six hours, with 725 metres of ascent, and Forestry and Land Scotland calls it hard work. Forest tracks and paths climb through the trees to a high pass, then rough, boggy and rocky ground leads up to the two craggy tops, with a little easy scrambling near the summit. Walter Scott called these crags fragments of an earlier world.
From the top Loch Katrine, Loch Achray and Loch Venachar lie below in the forest. Take a map and waterproofs, and turn back if the cloud comes down. From November to February, start by 9am to be down in daylight; in snow and ice it is a winter mountain.
If it rains
Not a day for low cloud or heavy rain: the top is rough and craggy and easy to lose your way on. In poor weather walk an hour up through the forest and back, then go to the café at the pier.
Afterwards
Steamship Café
Tea
Afterwards it's a short drive along the A821 to Trossachs Pier for tea and cake at the Steamship Café, open every day until 5pm, with tables looking over Loch Katrine. Dogs are welcome on the patio. The pier car park charges, and the pier has toilets.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Monachyle Mhor, 8 miles away.
Then Suie Hunting Lodge, 13 miles away.
Where to eat
Steamship Café, a café in Callander.
For further reading, before you go.