Ben Vorlich

Sunday 17th April 2022

After a difficult journey to Scotland that was ruined as soon as I got to my first railway station thanks to a cancelled train, I eventually reached the Highland village of Arrochar at the head of Loch Long and in the heart of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. When I got up the following morning it was wet and drizzly with low cloud, which is not the sort of weather that prompts you to head up a mountain, but as the rain eased I set off from Arrochar along the route of the Loch Lomond and Cowal Way. Soon I joined the route of the Three Lochs Way up Glen Loin, which is not a great valley to be walking up as it is farmed and has the tiny village of Succoth within, but the path kept to the woodland edge and was decorated with primroses. Eventually the farmland was left behind to pass into wilder surroundings that were much more pleasant to walk through, despite the rain that was soon back and several lines of electricity pylons that also make their way through the valley. I was previously in this area in 2007 when I spent the Easter weekend walking up some of the Arrochar Alps and on the Sunday, in weather that was not much better than now, I headed up Glen Loin. Back then I was obsessed with going up mountains, but now I have discovered the delights of long distance trails partly because the weather doesn’t matter, so the grey overcast skies and drizzle that I was enduring while walking up Glen Loin failed to affect my enthusiasm for the walk.

If I had been doing either of the two long distance trails that pass through Glen Loin then I would have pressed on oblivious to the weather, but I wanted to go up a mountain on this walk and for that the weather is critical as strong wind and rain would make it a horrible experience. To get the best out of going up a mountain you need clear weather, good views and light winds and it has been my repeated failure to get those things in Britain that has put me off going up mountains. The path through Glen Loin climbs over a low rock-filled pass before deteriorating as it moves beside a conifer plantation and down into the valley of Inveruglas. At this point in 2007 I turned left, towards Ben Vane, on an excellent path that I have good memories of, but to my right was Ben Vorlich, which is a mountain I have never done before and was actually why I had come to the Arrochar Alps. When I saw Abbie Barnes of Spend More Time In The Wild go up Ben Vorlich on a video she posted on YouTube last year, I was motivated to plan a holiday in the Arrochar Alps and walk up this mountain, which is why it was the first place I went to on my holiday. Therefore, I ignored Ben Vane and headed along the Loch Sloy service road approaching the imposing dam for the reservoir where a clear path, though not marked on maps, leaves the road to climb the hillside.

Initially on good rock steps that reminded me of the Lake District, this is a very steep path that had me stopping frequently to catch my breath possibly because it is a long time since I last climbed a mountain and I have not adequately maintained my fitness over the winter. As I climbed the steep hillside it seemed the sky was brightening up, which made me hopeful that the clouds would lift and I would get a view from the top of the mountain. Walkers are always hopeful! The path was mixed with some good sections and others that were boggy or with loose stones while on others I scrambled up glorious rocks, until finally I plunged into the clouds as the gradient eased and I passed long a fabulously craggy ridge that made me realise what is so great about climbing a mountain even when the mist is down as the craggy ground made up for the lack of a view. Beyond the crags the ridge broadened and briefly the clouds parted to reveal a view that was extra special for its fleeting nature, though it promised better things to come. First I had to turn my back on that and head towards the summit into the thick clouds to the trig point, which I knew was not the summit so I kept going along the ridge and after a dip I reached the summit of the Munro.

It was very cold and windy at the top so I soon turned around and headed back down. It amazes me how otherworldly it always feels at the top of a mountain with completely different temperature and weather conditions to how it had been in the valley, and this is part of the appeal of being at the top of a mountain, even when you don’t have a view. As I descended the way I had come up, the clouds soon lifted to reveal stunning views south towards Loch Lomond, while the descent took me back past isolated patches of snow, through the craggy terrain and down the steep path that is at times boggy, eroded or on manufactured steps all the way back down to the service road. Half way down it felt so warm compared to the top of the mountain that I took my cagoule off. Since it was not even three o’clock by the time I reached the service road I decided it was too early to head straight back to Arrochar, so I branched onto a track that passes below Ben Vane into Coire Grogain on a signposted Glen Loin Circuit. Ahead of me was Beinn Ime, which I'd climbed in 2007 with Ben Vane, and after crossing the burn I walked along forestry tracks below Beinn Narnain, which I’d climbed the day before in 2007. It was quite cold inside these conifer plantations, which prompted me to put my cagoule back on, but this was a very relaxing way to end the walk. My journey up to Scotland and the wet start to the day may not have helped, but, with the cloud slowly lifting, this walk was a wonderful way to return to Scotland and showed me that mountains do have their appeal even though they are prone to the fickle Scottish weather.

North Worcestershire Path

Saturday 19th March 2022

While looking for the closest hills to me last year I came across a line of hills in North Worcestershire, south-east of Birmingham, that are more than a thousand feet high. Although they proved not to be the nearest hills to me I was intrigued enough to begin planning a walk that traversed the range, but I was unable to do the walk at the time, so now I caught a train to the pretty little rural village of Barnt Green. Straight out of the station I entered Lickey Hills Country Park climbing past the large houses of Barnt Green up an avenue of mature trees to cross Cherry Hill Lane and enter Pinfields Wood. I was already enjoying the walk with bright sunshine overhead as I passed through lovely woodland where young bluebells could be seen emerging through the ground and although it would be another month before they were flowering, they were a welcome sight. While slowly climbing the hill I soon became hot, so when I reached the visitor centre I stripped off several layers down to my tee-shirt before setting off now on the route of the North Worcestershire Path which I would follow for much of the day. Ignoring the prominent hill to my right, Bilberry Hill, whose slopes were covered in dead bracken and bramble, I followed a bridleway to a busy road and kept to the track as I walked beside Lickey Hills Golf Course.

After a while I checked my map and realised that I should have turned left at the road so I had to retrace my steps all the way back and passing the club house I moaned about the lack of clear signage as I climbed the hill away from the golf course to enter a wood while behind me were stunning views back down the hill to the tree covered hills I had just walked past. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the views were looking fabulous in the bright sunshine. An exhilarating climb through woodland brought me out of the trees to the top of Beacon Hill near a viewpoint that has been built on a structure made to look like a small fort. There I had extensive views north-west, but they were not spectacular as they looked out over the urban sprawl of Birmingham. The lack of good signage continued as I made my way downhill, but a cold wind prompted me to put my softshell back on. At the bottom of the hill I left Lickey Hills Country Park and with good signage returning I was directed onto a wide path between fields that provided me with a relaxing walk up to and across the A38 dual carriageway and into Waseley Hills Country Park.

The path soon emerged from the trees to wide views across the built-up area and back over the Lickey Hills behind me. With wide open spaces, strong winds and a clear path underfoot I made my way up Waseley Hill to the top of Windmill Hill. A short descent from there brought me to the popular visitor centre where I stopped for my lunch before resuming my walk along the North Worcestershire Path that took me over the M5 motorway. The scenery on this section was rather tedious as I climbed grassy fields up Romsley Hill with the descent on the other side down a road, but this passed through the gorgeously wild Dales Wood where many woodland plants lined the road. At the bottom of the valley a steep climb up a grassy field was compensated by the stunning scenery behind me up and down the steep sided valley. At the top of the field the path took me through fabulous woodland along the escarpment edge with great views continuing as I entered my third country park of the day, Clent Hills, and reached the top of Walton Hill, which at 315 metres is the highest point in the range and on my walk.

With young bluebells in the wood below the trig point and extensive views north I made my way down the hill past a car park and into the most popular part of Clent Hills Country Park, but not wanting to linger near the crowded summit I took one of the wide tracks heading slowly downhill. At the bottom of the hill I came across some buildings that I thought shouldn’t be there according to my map until I realised that I had gone the wrong way and was too far south. Rather than heading back up to the summit I turned north between the buildings and the woodland, but when I reached the Hill Tavern I did head back uphill though not all the way and veering north I came upon the correct route of the North Worcestershire Path and followed this down the hill out of the park and on muddy tracks that took me into the village of Hagley. There I finally left the North Worcestershire Path and after crossing the A456 road I joined the course of the Monarch’s Way up to the obelisk near Wychbury Ring. The cold winds that had accompanied me all day had a final wave as I passed the tall column and then plunged down the hill on a deeply muddy footpath into Pedmore.

After a stretch of road walking I dropped down into Ham Dingle Nature Reserve for a delightful walk through a narrow valley that led me to the railway line near Stourbridge Junction Station. I was very tired going into this walk and needed something to revive my spirits and this provided me with exactly that with sunshine, wild scenery and some steep ascents that got my heart pumping. These hills in north Worcestershire are known as the Clent-Lickey range and provided me with great walking in an area that is surprisingly not far from the heavily built-up sprawl of Birmingham. I am glad to have found it and I hope that I can find an excuse again to explore these enjoyable hills.

Churnet Valley – Alton and Brookleys Lake

Saturday 5th March 2022

After bad weather in February it was a relief to finally be able to go walking again at the beginning of March, so I quickly headed back to the Churnet Valley and parked at the Ramblers Retreat. This is an Inn that I’d passed by on several occasions over the winter but I had never parked there until now and I found that the small car park fills very quickly. I set off along the route of the Staffordshire Way on a heavily eroded path up to a track above the valley floor, but soon I realised that I had left my walking poles behind so I had to retrace my steps all the way back to my car to retrieve them before starting the walk all over again. At the end of the track, beside Holm Cottage, I climbed again, briefly, up a narrow path and at the top I saw some little green plants scattered beside the path that I realised must be very young bluebells. When I had previously been in the Churnet Valley it was still winter, but now I had this early promise of spring and that spurred me on. I am eager to see how the Churnet Valley is transformed by the coming of spring when the woods become covered in wildflowers and should be a fabulous sight. Further along the path, I passed some rock formations that I couldn’t resist climbing and beyond that I came to a lookout point where I had tremendous views across the valley with the morning sunshine and blue skies adding to the scene.

Returning to the path I slowly descended into the village of Alton and keeping to the Staffordshire Way I meandered through the streets and onto muddy, grassy fields as the walk deteriorated with the views now becoming bland and the landscape a farming monoculture. On reaching Saltersford Lane it seemed I would have to wade through thick mud, but soon I discovered there were flagstones on one side of the lane that provided me with a firm, though not necessarily dry, surface underfoot as I made my way along the lane. This slowly descended into the broadening Churnet Valley whose slopes were now much gentler and less dramatic than in my beloved parts of the valley upstream. Beyond this point the River Churnet meanders excessively before joining the River Dove just south of Rocester, so I would consider this the end of the Churnet Valley. Turning back upstream I walked along the route of the old railway that used to run through the valley and at this point is lined with trees that provided me with an enjoyable walk in the sunshine.

As the valley narrowed and the sides became steeper, the landscape became wilder and it was tempting to stay on the route of the dismantled railway all the way back to Ramblers Retreat, but this would have resulted in a very short walk, so in an attempt to prolong the walk I turned off the track onto a path that heads back down the valley. I wasn’t sure where I was going here except for a vague idea of exploring the area to the north of the valley, so for now I just stayed on the good path that became a track and after passing Crumpwood Weir became a private road. As I emerged into the more open area I took a path out of the valley, but with a choice of routes and not knowing where I was going I blindly chose one that was directed by a distinctive arrow that was very different to the local council signs. This took me through young woodland around the testing site for JCB whose world headquarters is nearby in Rocester. Fortunately there was no activity in the testing site when I was there, so I was able to wander safely around looking for the path until eventually I came to the clearly artificial Brookleys Lake.

The public footpath goes up the western side of the lake and when I reached a junction of paths, I turned uphill through established woodland and eventually left the JCB test site behind. A wide track now took me above an escarpment beside a high fence beyond which was the Alton Towers Resort and the twisted roofs of the enchanted village. I could see on the map a reference to Ina’s Rock so after passing the resort hotel I descended off the escarpment edge and onto a path below that led me to a large outcrop that must be Ina’s Rock. I spent quite a while exploring the rock and Joe’s Cave inside while waiting for the sun to come out so I could take a good picture until eventually I tore myself away and descended the hillside back onto the course of the old railway, which I followed all the way back to Ramblers Retreat. I enjoyed exploring the area around the JCB test site principally because it is a complicated area that I had never been to before and I had no idea where I was going. It was cold which prompted me to wear gloves most of the day, but it was sunny, which always helps and the signs of spring were really encouraging. Despite having now been everywhere in the Churnet Valley, the coming of spring is all the incentive I need to return again to this fabulous area.