Ben Starav

We started in Glen Etive and meandered slowly up the 'tourist path' to the top. A straightforward ascent of one of Scotland's underrated mountains. The way down via the South ridge(which you see here) provided great views over the Blackmount and a knee jarring drop to the valley floor and thence back to the car.

Distance covered: 8 miles
Height gained: 3500 feet
Time taken: 6 hours

Ben Starav sits proudly at the top of Loch Etive and is mainly famous as being the best place to see Golden Eagles. This is unfair since it is a superb hill in its own right, with a long curving ridge leading to a rocky summit with fine views. It is often overlooked because it hides its face behind the jewel box that is Glen Coe, but the drive down Glen Etive is reward enough to seek it out.