Ben A'an

Ben A’an is a modest but striking hill in the Trossachs, a forested region north of Glasgow. Its west top rises to 454 metres and ends in a sharp, rocky point that looks like a miniature mountain. The summit area is mostly bare rock with several crags and outcrops. The hill stands above two lochs, Loch Katrine to the west and Loch Achray to the south. Its name comes from Sir Walter Scott, who recorded it as Ben A’an, though the original Gaelic is uncertain. The climb starts at a car park beside Loch Achray and follows a clear path uphill. After crossing a low saddle at 246 metres, the route turns northwest along a stream called Allt na Cailliche. Near the stream’s source the path swings west behind the west top and reaches a col. From there a short scramble leads to the west top, which most hikers visit. The main summit has no obvious path and is rarely climbed. From the west top walkers look out over a wide landscape of lochs, glens and mountains. Loch Katrine and Loch Achray lie below, while Ben Venue and the Arrochar Alps appear on the horizon. The view stretches as far as the western shore of Loch Lomond. The rocky summit and the surrounding crags give a sense of being on a real mountain despite the hill’s modest height.