Ben A’an is one of the most popular hikes in the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park. The wee hill offers stunning views and is the perfect choice for a micro-adventure or day trip from Glasgow. Plan your trip with my hiking guide for Ben A’an – let’s go!

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One of my favourite things about Glasgow is that the city is super close to the Southern Highlands. You can see the hills from the viewpoints around the city – and it’s really easy to get there for a micro-adventure after work or a day trip to the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.

Ben A’an is a popular hike in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. The small hill lies less than 1.5 hours from Glasgow, the trail is well-kept and easy to follow and it doesn’t take long to reach the top. The summit offers incredible 360-degree views of the southern Highlands – a massive pay-off for a beginner and family-friendly hike.

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You can't leave Scotland without climbing at least one mountain. On a sunny day there is nothing better than spending a day hiking in the Trossachs north of Glasgow. This is a complete guide to hiking Ben A'an with a trail description, what to bring and what else to get up to in the area!

Trail description: The hike up Ben A’an

The trail starts from the back of the car park on the shores of Loch Achray. From the car park, head across the road and follow the path into the woods.

You first hike through a lush forest with tall larch and pine trees. The path can get quite muddy down here, so watch your step. After half an hour or so the landscape changes drastically. The pine trees turn into a light birch forest and the muddy trail is replaced by rocky steps. These can sometimes be a bit high – prepare your thighs and knees for a real workout!

About halfway up, the path flattens out – time for a little breather. You can now clearly see the rocky top of Ben A’an ahead of you. Unfortunately, there is one more steep climb on the way.

After passing a bracken-covered opening among the trees, it’s up up up again!

Follow the rocky steps up the woodland and into a narrow gullie. The path can be slippery, so take great care, especially as you cross the burn.

After a short but intense climb, you’ll reach the top of the mountain. The path evens out a bit and circles around the northern side of Ben A’an until it reaches the summit.

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Just before you climb up the final steps to the summit, take a little detour to the right – there is a little path and you almost can’t miss it. If you do, you might go home without having seen the second-best view from Ben A’an – only beaten by the summit. You can see Loch Katrine below, framed by the peaks of the Highlands. Across to the left, you can see the majestic peak of Ben Venue.

Note, that from time to time this area is cordoned off to allow the vegetation to grow back.

The summit is just a little scramble further and there are plenty of spots to have a well-deserved snack in the sun. The prime spot is a pyramid-like rock overlooking Loch Katrine. It’s a popular photo spot, so don’t hog it for too long.

The return hike is the same as the way up, so you’ll have to make your way down those steep steps one more time. The beautiful views make up for it though!

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Ben A’an Hiking Guide

How to get to Ben A’an

The only downside of Ben A’an is that there is no public transport connection to the trailhead. You cannot reach Ben A’an by train or bus.

Update: In the summer of 2024, the National Park trialled a shuttle bus from Aberfoyle to Callander, stopping at popular trailheads like Ben A’an. Finally, it was possible to reach this popular hike without a car. Hopefully, the Trossachs Explorer bus is here to stay!

If the shuttle bus is not an option, you need a car to reach the trailhead for Ben A’an. The drive takes you from Glasgow north into the Trossachs and then from Aberfoyle over the winding Duke’s Pass road to Ben A’an. It takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes to drive from Glasgow.

The nearest village is Aberfoyle. There is a Coop supermarket to grab supplies and a few cafes/restaurants to get a meal after your hike.

How long is this hike

The hike up Ben A’an is just over 2 miles (or just under 4 km) for the round trip. It takes about 1.5 hours to the summit and approximately the same time to get down again. The same path leads up and down.

Where to park

There is a pay-and-display car park at the bottom of the Ben A’an hiking trail. It costs £5 for all-day parking. One of the parking metres takes cards, but it’s best to have coins as backup. You most likely won’t have mobile reception to use a parking app to pay.

If this car park is full (which is often the case), you can park at the Ben Venue car park, a little further along the road. It’s not far to walk from there to the trailhead, however, take great care on the road as there is no pavement for pedestrians and it’s a busy road.

The best time to hike Ben A’an

Ben A’an is a beautiful hike for any part of the day, but it would be particularly stunning to reach the top for sunrise or sunset. This means hiking one way in the dark – so don’t forget to bring a head torch! (I don’t recommend using your phone torch because you want your hands free for balance.)

The hikes in this part of the Loch Lomond &.Trosscahs National Park are incredibly popular – and so are the car parks. If you hike Ben A’an during the day, I recommend arriving early to beat the crowds (before 9 am) or later in the day to hike after everyone else is already back down.

Trail Details & Navigation

For a map of the route, check out my free route plan on Outdoor Active – you can download the GPX-Route to use for navigation. It’s a fairly straight-forward route, so you don’t need to bring a map and compass.

For a detailed description of the trail, photos of significant points and map material have a look at Walk Highlands, a great online resource for hiking trails in Scotland.

You can't leave Scotland without climbing at least one mountain. On a sunny day there is nothing better than spending a day hiking in the Trossachs north of Glasgow. This is a complete guide to hiking Ben A'an with a trail description, what to bring and what else to get up to in the area!

Which map to use

If you want to be on the safe side – or if you simply love maps – Ben A’an is covered on the OS Explorer map OL 46 – available here.

This map covers a big part of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park, where Ben A’an is located. It’s a good map to have if you plan to go on day hikes close to Glasgow more frequently.

What to wear & pack

The trail up Ben A’an can get quite muddy and the rock steps might be slippy after/during rain. Sturdy hiking shoes are a must.

The key things to pack for a day hike in Scotland are spare warm clothes for the summit, wind- and waterproofs for the odd shower that could always roll in, plenty of water and high-energy snacks such as fruit or nuts.

If you hike later in the day – for example for epic sunset views – bring a head torch for a safe descent in the dark.

What else to do in the area

Nearby Loch Katrine is a stunning place to visit. You can hire (e-)bikes from Katrine Wheelz, go for a boat ride on the historic steamship Sir Walter Scott or take a short walk to the Roderick Dhu viewing platform.

Follow the Three Lochs Forest Drive, a scenic drive to Lochan Reòidhte, Loch Drunkie, and Loch Achray.

For even more action, check out Go Ape Aberfoyle, a tree-top adventure park with two of the longest ziplines in the UK.

You might also like: 40 more things to do in the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park

I hope you liked this little glimpse of the Scottish Highlands – as you can see you need neither loads of experience nor days upon days to make unforgettable memories during your Scotland trip!


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6 thoughts on “Hiking Guide for Ben A’an in the Trossachs

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  5. annika says:

    Looks great! I must so come to Scotland finally. And funny enough this post reminded me of my dream last night – I had a selfie stick and a nose piercing (neither of which I have in reality) – haha!

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