feet on the road that leads from Loch Long to Loch Awe via Glen Croe and past the picturesque Butterbridge into Glen Kinlas. There can be few roads in Scotland so well documented by travellers over the centuries or so affectionately named as “The Rest”.
Its highest point is an ideal starting point for climbing Ben Donich (The Brown Mountain), The Brack, Beinn Luibhean and the impressive and rocky Beinn an Lochain, all of which are classed as Corbetts.
Our climb today is Ben Donich, a squat bulky mass which dominates the small village of Lochgoilhead.
Most of the hills in this area are prone to slope failure, and Ben Donich has some very spectacular examples. The North ridge path passes through some convoluted land slide debris and crevassed terrain at about 600m and a little way off to the north of the east-ridge there are 60 foot deep fissures at right angles, isolating a large block of hillside.
The climb starts with some lung busting zigzags before developing into a pleasant stroll up a well defined path eventually gaining the summit at 2780ft which offers stunning views over Loch Fyne to Firth of Clyde and The Kyles of Bute, Argyll, Knapdale and Kintyre.
The ascent proves to be relatively easy, so in an effort to add some excitement to our meander we decide to take an alternative descent from the summit and head straight back down via the highest gully. These quick descents from the top always look the quickest way of return but in reality prove to be more time consuming and tiresome than envisaged. And so it proves for us as we clamber down the steep decline in a crab like manner to the forest below which in turn throws up a mixed terrain of thick bracken, rocky stream and fallen trees.
This perceived quick route off the hill does in fact take us 30 minutes longer than the climb up the mountains well trodden path.
We rejoice on reaching flat ground which affords our overstretched quads a relaxing stretch along the final 10 minute stretch of forest road back to the car.
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