Get Lost Mountaineering

Ben An/A'an from Loch Achray

Start/Finish

Ben A'an Car Park near W end of Loch Achray on A821 road from Kilmahog (Callender) to Aberfoyle road. The car park is just after the Trossachs Hotel with its obvious turrets. The car park is not well sign posted and can easily be overshot if coming from Kilmahog and Brig o' Turk. The daily charge for a car was £3 on 7/8/21. The car park is far too small given the popularity of this walk but parking on the road is not allowed with fines for those who do.

Distance/Time

3 km      About 2 – 3 hours

Peaks

Ben An/A'an (western pointed peak), 454 m, NN 502 082.

OS sheet 57: Stirling & Trossachs

Introduction

Ben An/A'an is one of the most popular walks in the area and the route can often be quite busy. Most just head for the obvious pointed peak using the obvious path rather than the 461 m top shown on the map so this is the route described here. The path is very obvious but quite steep and rocky in places; care will be needed if the rock is wet or icy. Many set off not realising how steep the ascent is so don't underestimate it. On a clear day, Ben An is a wonderful viewpoint especially for Loch Katrine and Ben Venue (across Loch Katrine).

Route

(1) Leave the car park by the pedestrian exit, cross the road and take the obvious path opposite. Follow the moderately steep path up. After crossing a bridge, the path steepens and becomes more rocky. After a more level section, where the pointed summit becomes visible, the path enters a wood then climbs steeply and roughly. After the wood, the path continues up to the crest, passing under the pointed summit before reaching the crest where the path goes left to reach the top of the pointed peak. There are two outcrops with the western one seemingly the higher.

(2) Descend by the outward route as there is no other route with a path.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 24^th March, 2013, and 7^th August, 2021, under very different conditions as the photos show!