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Glen Artney. |
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Glen Artney. |
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Section
1 Ben
Donich Section
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 Glen Artney. (Meall na Fearna in the background.)
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Beinn Each (right)and Sgiath a Chaise from Beinn DeargBeinn Each is a popular addition to a day on Ben Vorlich and Stuc a'Chroin. Its quite a striking peak and an ascent by its usual route is a steep start to a day. Physical effort of another type soon takes over as the tortuous long ridge to Stuc a'Chroin imposes a long succession of steep ups and downs before the Stuc.
The hill is a typical West Highland schist pile, a confusing mass of small crags and knolls, with the entire west (Glen Ample) face having failed. I remember following up a ridge formed by such a landslip when heading up Stuc a'Chroin in the early 1980's. There has been a big change since that last visit, Glen Ample is now under conifers. Another change is that Beinn Each is now a Corbett, promoted in the 1984 tables, and one of the newest additions to the list.
Glen Ample is a well known and still well trodden right of way, sadly being a right of way, the landowners have taken this to mean that we are to stay off the hills. Amongst the plethora of signs hereabouts, is a candidate for the most moronic keep out notice award. The "No access to Ben Vorlich" sign at Ardchullarie More. Of course there is the small matter of Stuc a'Choin in the way, so it is at least accurate, and unlikely to be disobeyed. There is plenty of evidence on the ground that Beinn Each is a part of many people's Stuc a Chroin day. A path works its way up steeply from the ruins of Bothan Eas an Eoin, up the west ridge/face. Sadly its does not zig-zag nearly enough and will soon be a major erosion scar. Please do not follow it when it goes straight up steep slopes, save your knees and the hill and cut switchbacks, especially on the way down.
Erosion caused by going straight up/down the slope. There will be a big gully here soon. Glen Ample runs gently up to the watershed from Edinample, and steeply down a ravine to Ardchullarie More on Loch Lubnaig, where there is plenty of parking. You may strike it lucky and get the Callander /Killin bus, this allows a big traverse to Vorlich or Fearna. Most of the glen was forested in 1983. Older forestry clothes the Lubnaig slopes, and a path runs up steeply but easily to join a track contouring the forest slope above Ardcuilarie More. This track runs through the glen, and is quite an attractive walk up to the ruin on the watershed.
In August 2004 flash flooding devestated the Loch Earn area. As well as trapping cars in Glen Ogle, I got through with 30 mins to spare, the floods destroyed the abutments to the bridge above the Edinample falls. At this time the road is still closed, and it may take a time for the council to come up with the cash for a repair. At the road end, the local gomls have erected a sign forbidding use of the road and stating that there is no parking or turning available, which is total rubbish. Plenty of room near the washout and this is still a good stating point for Ben Vorlich, Alternatively you can approach Ardvorlich from St Fillans. If passing Edinample, do not forget the waterfall. The surroundings have changed somewhat recently, the gate has gone, but you can still see the falls, north of the road by walking along the top of the gorge. The castle, now a restored private home is quite distant, so dont be put off, the falls are worth seeing, butthe ground above the gorge is very slippy, take care.
The washed out bridge at Edinample (Jan 2006) The prelude to Edinample Falls. The main fall is hard to photo without a good belay. Another possibility is to go in from above the Bracklinn Falls above Callander. The public road ends at Braeleny, from there a track goes in to Ardvuiricardich (a favourite name of many). This is the right of way to Glen Artney and Ardvorlich. This is the starting point for a fine horseshoe round of Glen a'Choin over Each and the Stuc. This will give a fine full day, along two long ridges, contrasting with the brutality of the western approach. You could even be a rare visitor to Lochan a'Chroin.
Being a rather foul winter's day I took the lazy option from Ardchullarie More. Some lazy option, it may be short but it is rather steep. There was little snow, but high up the ground was hard frozen, beneath a grey heavy sky. Trouble was coming in hard on a westerly wind. Time for a short day. Once out of the forest with all it's annoying little notices the track mercifully levelled out, through straggly trees up to the ruined Bothan.
Beinn Each from above Ardchullarie.
It was quiet, for a Perthshire Sunday. The forecast had kept the masses at home. The occupant of the only other car parked at Loch Lubnaig was up there ahead of me, his tracks would be found later.
I soon found the path, height quickly gained past a curious rocky niche, evidence of a recent fire , a perfect watch point covering the whole glen. Soon a boggy platform was passed and more steepness to meet a ruined fence at a large knoll. The going from here was very icy. Several had passed the previous day and the path had re-frozen. Too little snow for comfortable crampon use, I chose caution in vibrams, following the familiar sparkling mica trail. From now on the going was less arduous,short walls followed by gentle sections of ridge. Unusually I hit the summit cairn early, and checked the orientation of the fence poles to be sure that I had reached the top. No view, the ground sloped sharply away into grey.
The descent was varied, passing below the knoll, steeply amongst landslip fissures and pinnacles below a fine crag. The pioneers climbed here, handy crag from the train , both crag and railway now forgotten. A fun descent, in and out over a corrugated landscape before a final purgatorial plunge through heather and snow to the boggy glen floor.
It was raining now, but still time for another hill. Up through patchy conifers and more landslip debris on to the western ridge of Glen Ample. This is the weakness in the forest walls of Sgiath a'Chaise. While Each was quiet, dry and icy, this hill was wet underfoot, a gale and heavy rain now hindering progress through the bogs . Half an hour, big change. Still an enjoyable battle to the cairnless summit, very Southern Uplands, there was even a quadbike track. Here I found the day's only other set of foot prints. Even early in the day, its amazing what a psychological hurdle is placed by returning to the glen. Even with only a few hundred meteres ascent to the next top, I always find it hard to get started again.
After the wander out and back along the broad back, I was only too happy to get down again, stumbling, as wet snow on grass ensures a spill or two. The contiuation to Creag a'Gheata is recommended as a viewpoint. Not today. Feeling the track underfoot again was welcome, even the steep bit under the trees. My reward for staying out for another hill was a good goretex-busting drenching, but who goes up Sgiath a'Chaise on a good day?
Meall na Fearna, from the South ridge of Ben Vorlich.
East of Ben
Vorlich is a tortured mass of hills between Loch Earn and
Glen Artney. Whilst not as craggy as the OS would have you believe
this is a heathery, rocky knoll infested place which gives hard
going. The highest of these hills is Meall na Fearna, opposite
Ben Vorlich across the Bealach Dearg, a drove road with a bloody
history. The route linking upper Starthearn with the royal forest
of Glen Artney and eventualy the Lowlands.
I was on a trip to Tyndrum with some Munro crazed baggers , and hoping to catch the first snows of the winter. Ben Vorlich was an obvious choice for the Sunday, on the way home, and while they went for Stuc a Chroin, from Vorlich, I could go in the opposite direction to get a crack at Fearna. I could return to Ardvorlich pick up the car and pick them up at Edinample, giving them an easy answer to the 'return from the Stuc' problem.
The Tourist path up Ben Vorlich has long been popular, and Vorlich used to be one of the handful of Highland hills with a worn path up it. It passes Ardvorlich house, the old home of the Stuarts of Ardvorlich, which has an interesting history of dark deeds from the Clan times. After the house and a field the path having climbed into wooded Glen Vorlich , splits. The righthand branch climbs steadily up to Ben Vorlich, with an exposed icy finish, scene of many accidents, whereas the left branch, once the main route, heads south towards the Bealach Dearg and the Lowlands. This was to be my return route.
From the sun drenched summit of Vorlich, covered by fresh snow, a faint path led down the South ridge, away from the Munro circuit. The slopes down to the Bealach were far too steep so a deviation down the ridge was required until a steep slope could be negotiated into the glen beyond the Bealach Dearg.
I was now below the Bealach in a wild glen. It was here in upper Glen Artney that Drummond, the Kings Forester was murdered by roving MacGregors in the late 16th century. This was in revenge for some summary justice caried out on some poaching Macgregors. Sworn to revenge they took his head as a trophy and legged it home for Balquidder over the bealach. Passing Ardvorlich they called in on the house for provisions. There they found Stuart's wife, heavily pregnant. She must have known they were MacGregors, her mortal enemies, but still following the law of hospitality provided them with food. On entering the house they uncovered their trophy whereupon the poor woman ran out in terror and was lost. Stuart of Ardvorlich searched hard for his wife and eventually heard that one of the sheilings in Glen Vorlich was suffering poor milking. His wife was found sheltering nearbv up by the lochan on the Northern side of Meall na Fearna. Soon after her son was born. It was this murder that led to the proscription of the MacGregors. The entire family was effectively under sentence of death. The pass is also reputed to be haunted by a piper.
The sprawl of Meall na Fearna from Glen Artney.Today Glen Artney is a peaceful place, and still farmed. It is very fertile, this fact betrayed by the intense midsummer greenery. It is rich in wildflowers and birdlife. There is a particularly dense population of curlews. Parking is available by the simple kirk, an inconvenient mile from the road end. If bringing a bike, I do hope that you ignore any stupid signage attempting to block off the road to Callender, such rough stuff gems must not be surrendered tamely. Meall na Fearna is easily reached from the glen behind the huge pile of Glen Artney Lodge. Be warned, the serrated crest of the ridge above is due to peat hags not craglets. Another warning is due because of the odd electric fence here and there, Its best to use the tracks on the lower ground. If passing this way in midsummer, make time for the flowers, especially along the roadside.
Back in the fastnesses of the upper glen, a long grassy pull brought me up to the rocky summit, and I shared a fine view of Stirling and the Pentland Hills with two men from Edinburgh, both 'Jambos' . They had come up from Glen Artney, a fine approach to this area. The descent was enlivened by the usual knolls and bogs until I reached the Loch where poor Lady Stewart sheltered 400 years ago. Then it was a simple descent to Glen Vorlich and the big house. No spectral piping however.
The others were met at Edinample, with its tower and fine waterfall. They had enjoyed the Stuc, but had fell foul of the inhabitants of the house in Glen Ample. This is a well known 'GOML' spot and the house and its unfortunate inhabitants should be given a wide berth. Just follow one of the umpteen signs that befoul Glen Artney to get to and from the hill.
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Revised 18th January 2006
