Over The Hill

Ben Ledi is a beautiful hill, and, as always popular with our walkers as proven by today's turnout as eleven of us gathered at the car park just beyond The Falls of Leny. I use the word "gathered" very loosely as everyone is still very conscious of the Covid distancing and kept a respectable distance as we chatted and booted up before, in no particular order, those first booted set off as one group of five, with the remaining six following along some moments later not to be seen again until we had all arrived on the broad, wet and rather misty summit some time later.

Thanks to Mike's photos, I hardly need describe our route, as his chronological record of our day is a perfect illustrations of what to expect on a circular walk up Ben Ledi and return via Stank Glen; a fine track is maintained throughout the ascent, initially climbing quite steeply through an area of young woodland and grassland before emerging onto the open hillside, where the gradient eases a little as the path rises towards the shoulder of the south east ridge before swinging north west. up the broad, grassy ridge towards the minor top of Meall Odhar. This section of the path is a little rougher, with loose rock and stones, but in a relatively short time you emerge onto the broad, summit area, easily identified by three distinct features; firstly the memorial cross, at the east end, and some 50 metres beyond that, the summit Trig Point and a rather broken cairn mark the 879m summit.

The weather from the outset was wet, a heavy drizzle accompanied us throughout the ascent, definitely a waterproofs day. However, the drizzle was not the most annoying aspect, it was the midges, they were out in droves, no doubt enjoying the damp, wet conditions. They were there the moment we parked up, descending upon us if we stopped for more than a few seconds, and were still with us on the summit. I was glad to find I still had my midge net in my rucksack to use while we had our break on the summit, at least it kept them at bay while I ate my snacks and enjoyed a drink.

The descent from the summit of Ben Ledi via Stank Glen is quite a contrast to the assent, gone are the maintained path and steep hillside to be replaced by a gentler descent on a grassy hillside, with a worn, and sometimes boggy path through the grass and heather until the boundary fence marking our return to maintained woodland through Stank Glen, where once again a fine path winds its way between banks of heather and natural woodland.

Finally, as we made our way through the woodland, the drizzle abated sufficiently to allow us to remove our wet weather gear, and to enjoy the descent through Stank Glen, where there was time to indulge in a playful moment on a rope swing, strategically strung from the branch of a large tree alongside the path.

An enjoyable day on the hills, with great company - Thanks everyone.

PS. I just could not resist stopping at Mhor 84 as I passed through Callander on the way home, scrumptious!