Ben Venue
NN506068 The 1 woodland approach is complex; fortunately it's clearly signposted for Ben Venue at every junction. From the back of the car park, take either path into the woods; they rejoin in 450m. The path then leads west to cross duckboards to a parking area where a tarmac private lane joins the road to Loch Katrine pier. Turn left on the private lane. After 600m, a wide path leads down left to a scenic footbridge over Achray Water.
NN495065 The path 2 runs up to a forest track. Turn right for 200m, then left up another path to join a higher forest track. Turn right up this, south-west, the track at once shrinking to a wide path. After 500m this joins yet another forest road. Turn left, and just before the track crosses a bridge, fork up right on a path, to reach the final forest road.
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Cross onto the continuing path. It runs gently uphill through regenerating scrubby woodland, up to right of the stream of Gleann Riabhach. After 2km it emerges to open ground. The recently rebuilt path runs up right of the main stream, west of north, weaving among outcrops to the 580m col at the valley head.
NN468060 Turn 4 right on a path that's eroded and rocky for its first rise. Then it rises gently, before dipping to a tiny col. As it dips, take the left fork, as this takes you over the hill's true summit which the right fork bypasses on the right. After the cairn, take the path down ahead, rejoining the bypass path, to a grassy col. The path ahead runs up under a small cliff, to the ruined trig point at the hill's south-east corner.
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Return by the path under the small cliff to the grassy col. Turn down right, north, in a grassy hollow. Keep downhill, north, to the left of the small stream. Where the stream dives into a little gorge down a steeper section, take a grassy slope to the left, then cross the stream just below. Here a faint path starts to the right of the stream, edging away to
NN476069 The path 6 contours north of east, to arrive at the top of a steep hollow down to Loch Katrine. Head down this until it steepens with a small stream forming. Now work right, to descend 50m to the right of the stream, with fence posts and traces of path, to arrive at a fence corner. NN482071 Turn 7 right, on a path just below the fence. The path runs south-east, past an impressive boulder and down a little slanty valley. Cross a stile on the left and turn down right, for a small path to the dam at the foot of Loch Achray. Cross the dam, and follow the tarmac lane beyond. It runs to the left of Achray Water. Just before it meets the public road to Loch Katrine pier, turn right on the path of the outward route. Where it forks, take whichever branch you weren't on at the start of the walk.