Climb Ben Shian (Bein an t-Sithean, the fairy hill)
Time: 2 hours
Height: 572 m
Start: Strathyre South carpark
Rough / strenuous. A steepish walk.
The start for the Ben Shian walk is at south end of Strathyre village in the car park. Walk towards the hill through the car park and onto the old rail track bed. Turn left and follow the path over the suspension bridge until you meet the tarmac road. Turn right here and continue past the school (on your left) until about 100m past the school, turn left on to the hill footpath,
Climb up through tall conifers for 300m to the forestry road. Turn right for about 50m.
This interesting path zig-zags up through the mature plantation and after about half a mile emerges onto open hillside with a fabulous view down to Loch Lubnaig.
Continue over the burn and turn right up the hillside path which leads obviously upwards an initially follows the forest boundary by the burn. This path now climbs very steeply and sometimes over rocks to the first rugged hilloch (An Sidhean) . The views here are outstanding and in clear weather you may see over Balquhidder Glen and on to Lochearn to the north. The meandering River Balvaig is evident on the valley floor.
Head west from An Sidhean and down to the stile at the fence. The path veers north over a boggy stretch and then rises over another crest to bring the summit of Beinn an t-Sidhein (Ben Shian) into view. Excellent all round views here.
You may now return by the same route, or extend the walk by perhaps a mile by heading north-west over a trackless area to some rocky outcrops which offer good views over to Glen Buckie. On reaching this viewpoint, bear left and follow the top of the slope until you see a stile some 300m to the east. The narrow ill defined path via the stile leads to the point where you originally exited the woods on the ascent.
Height: 572 m
Start: Strathyre South carpark
Rough / strenuous. A steepish walk.
The start for the Ben Shian walk is at south end of Strathyre village in the car park. Walk towards the hill through the car park and onto the old rail track bed. Turn left and follow the path over the suspension bridge until you meet the tarmac road. Turn right here and continue past the school (on your left) until about 100m past the school, turn left on to the hill footpath,
Climb up through tall conifers for 300m to the forestry road. Turn right for about 50m.
This interesting path zig-zags up through the mature plantation and after about half a mile emerges onto open hillside with a fabulous view down to Loch Lubnaig.
Continue over the burn and turn right up the hillside path which leads obviously upwards an initially follows the forest boundary by the burn. This path now climbs very steeply and sometimes over rocks to the first rugged hilloch (An Sidhean) . The views here are outstanding and in clear weather you may see over Balquhidder Glen and on to Lochearn to the north. The meandering River Balvaig is evident on the valley floor.
Head west from An Sidhean and down to the stile at the fence. The path veers north over a boggy stretch and then rises over another crest to bring the summit of Beinn an t-Sidhein (Ben Shian) into view. Excellent all round views here.
You may now return by the same route, or extend the walk by perhaps a mile by heading north-west over a trackless area to some rocky outcrops which offer good views over to Glen Buckie. On reaching this viewpoint, bear left and follow the top of the slope until you see a stile some 300m to the east. The narrow ill defined path via the stile leads to the point where you originally exited the woods on the ascent.