Ben Venue's own 'Fairy Pools'
A hidden gem in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park
Loch Lomond National Park records approximately 4 million visitors a year however there are parts of the park that remain largely unexplored by visitors.
The Loch Lomond and Trossachs area has been popular with tourists since Victorian times which in my humble opinion only adds to its charm and beauty. It’s definitely a place to read poetry and escape from the madness of today’s world and remember how we used to holiday! Simple pleasures!
Our hidden gem requires a little bit of effort to get to and is part of a larger walk that gives you absolutely stunning views covering mountains and lochs and glens to the east of Loch Lomond.
1. Loch Ard
Beautiful Loch Ard is a popular destination with outdoor lovers seeking mountains and lochs close to the main cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Offering a lovely relatively shallow loch great for safe kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding, the Loch is surrounded by stunning pine forests with a plethora of cycle trails. The cycle routes are suitable for all levels and wind through the forests and down to the loch side at parts.
Although known to local Scots, Loch Ard is much quieter than nearby Loch Lomond and Loch Katrine, and is a popular spot for those looking to enjoy some wildlife watching. Red squirrels, pine martens, osprey and deer love the peacefulness of the area too! The wild goats are also a spectacle to enjoy as they meander along the lochside posing for the tourists. The fact that the goats can wander along the road unhindered tells you how much traffic passes this way!
2. Ben Venue
The name ‘Ben Venue’ comes from the Scottish Gaelic language and means ‘mountain in the middle.’ Aptly named, Ben Venue sits in the middle of the beautiful Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park with Loch Lomond , Loch Arklet and Loch Chon to the west; Loch Ard to the south; Loch Achray to the east ; and stunning Loch Katrine to the north. The walk to the top of the mountain has some steeper parts but is a very ‘doable ‘ hill walk with lots of gentle twists and turns around the mountains and a variety of views at each turn. At 2,392 feet or 729 meters high, it was one of the first Scottish mountains that I introduced my children to.
Approached from two main routes, our route past our secret hidden gem is the quieter of the two routes and starts at Loch Ard. The lower parts of the walk pass through forests filled with oak, birch and pine but as you climb higher the scenery becomes more dramatic with rugged moorland and rocky outcrops and incredible views across the surrounding lochs.
3. Loch Arklet – a Victorian Tourist route made for carriages!
The route from Loch Lomond to Loch Katrine, passing through Loch Arklet, is a picturesque journey that traces a portion of what was once a popular Victorian tourist route. The Victorians would take the steam boat up Loch Lomond to Inversnaid where they would be met by horse and carriage and raced through this stunning mountain pass to the north end of Loch Katrine at Stronachlachar. They would then get the steam boat down Loch Katrine to Trossachs Pier and continue on through their Trossachs tour in carriages.
Reached by driving to the north of Loch Ard and past Loch Chon towards Stonachlachar on Loch Katrine, Loch Arklet runs to the west towards Loch Lomond and is a rarely used road these days.
The Loch itself is relatively small compared to its neighboring lochs, but its tranquil setting and the rugged hills surrounding it make it a beautiful spot for a camper van stop with a cup of coffee. Historically Loch Arklet was dammed to provide water to Loch Katrine as part of the system that suppliers fresh water to Glasgow.
4. Our Hidden Gem
The lesser used hiking trail up Ben Venue from Loch Ard is not only quieter but in my opinion offers a more interesting hike. As you emerge from the lower woodland onto the hill with views down to Loch Ard, you walk beside a bubbling mountain stream with a series of rock pools flowing into each other. Primarily made of ancient metamorphic and sedimentary Sandstone and schist, the rock pools have been shaped over millions of years.
Perfect for some quiet contemplation with a flask of tea and caramel waifer, they are also deep enough for a dip on a warm summers day to cool you down.
Different from the Basalt and gabbro rock pools at the Fairy Pools in Skye, these rock pools are still stunning and offer a much much quieter and calming experience than the ones on Skye. If you would prefer your own bathtub in the hills rather than a public spa, head this way!
Things to see and do around Ben Venue
- Beautiful Loch Katrine lies to the north of Ben Venue and is 8 miles long. The loch is historically significant as the source of Glasgow’s drinking water. Take a boat cruise aboard the SS Sir Walter Scott, a steamship that has been operating on the loch for over 100 years.
- For those who want a more active day out, Loch Katrine offers bike hire to cycle the 21 km trail to the northern shore of Loch Katrine at Stronachlachar. You can either return the same way or get the boat back! The route offers a mixture of flat tarmaced road with a few bigger hills and is relatively traffic free making it ideal for families and leisurely rides.
- Little Ben A’an at a height of 1,490 ft or 454 meters is closeby to Ben Venue and Loch Ard and is an absolutely wonderful walk with its picture perfect rocky mountain peak and stunning 360 degree views. The ultimate mountain walk to introduce your children too or friends new to hill walking, Ben A’an holds a special place in all Scottish hill walkers hearts. It feels and looks likes a mountain but is pretty quick to ascend!
Getting to Ben Venue and our hidden gem
From Ledard Farm, near Kinlochard:
To see our hidden gem ‘fairy pools’ start your walk at Ledard Farm by Loch Ard. The walk is 11.5km out and back and takes between 5 and 6 hours.
From Loch Achray Car Park:
This is the most popular starting point for the ascent. The route from here is about 14.3km so longer than the quieter route from Loch Ard and takes between 5 and 6 hours.
