Ben Lomond is one of the closest and easiest Munros for us to reach from Glasgow and I try and climb it at least 2 – 3 times a year. It took me about 2 hours and 15 minutes to get up and about an hour and 45 minutes to come down, so the 4 hour guideline was spot on. There is a toilet block, with some information panels nearby. Setting off at that time you should get to the summit just before 12pm, ideal for lunch (with a view) at the top. We always recommend Osprey for our climbing gear as they’ve never let us down! You'll find me working out of a cafe in Bali, perhaps on a riverboat in Brazil or maybe even an airport lounge in New Delhi. My first munro, in the shape of Ben Lomond at 974 metres high was completed on Saturday. When I did the walk, I saw perhaps 3 or 4 dozen other people doing the walk and 90%+ of them were going up and down the Red route. I mentioned previously the necessity for layers. There’s a very good chance of there being snow and ice higher up the mountain, making it much more treacherous and making the path harder to follow. Just be aware that this road can get busy in the summer months, and expect plenty of campervans as there is space to overnight park in the Ben Lomond car park. The final summit cone of Ben Lomond is now in full view ahead and the path heads directly towards it. It’s actually quite a nice drive and there are a few different cafes and pubs to stop off at the whole way up; such as the Oak Tree Inn & Clansman Bar. If you park in the car park, then you’ll need to pay for parking, but there are 7 or 8 spaces just at the entrance to the car park (pictured below) which don’t require a ticket. But the biggest and best is Ben Lomond, a relatively moderate hike destined to offer the best possible views of the gorgeous Loch below. However, if you were to get lucky I can only imagine how incredible the views must be! This route hugs the loch-side of the mountain very closely so you get views almost the whole way up and down Loch Lomond. These are locations where small wooden/stone houses used to be where local farmers lived. Regardless, climbing continually uphill is a challenge whatever your fitness level and you will be doing this for upwards of 2 hours. For me, not only is it a great source of fitness and calorie burning, but it clears my mind from the many daily work and life pressures. The ascent to this point gains 2,300 feet of elevation on a rocky trail. The climb takes you through a forest. Ben Lomond is the most southerly munro in Scotland. Throughout your ascent you will see the well kept pathways of the mountain. The walk back down was lovely as, once you slowly descend from the mist and clouds, you are slowly greeted by ever-more mesmerising views. He said he has climbed 5 times now and has never had a view from the top. Oh yeah, and a waterproof bag as well as you don’t want all of your clothes getting soaked! The rewards come in the expansive views seen throughout the walk and from the top. Ben Lomond: Hard climb but worth it - See 221 traveler reviews, 267 candid photos, and great deals for Rowardennan, UK, at Tripadvisor. I definitely recommend taking the time to walk up Ben Lomond if you find yourself in the area, if nothing else it definitely feels like an achievement getting back to the car park! Here’s a look at my experience, and any tips for climbing Ben Lomond that I picked up along the way. It is also … Currently the Forestry Commission are cutting down trees infected by a disease, they are planting replacements. Ben Lomond is typically thought of as an “easy” Munro but this just really means it’s easily accessible. It was another cold one! At 1,174m and with an elevation of 986m, this Munro is a challenging climb and the pyramid shape of the mountain makes it steep. The final portion of this route to the summit is the trickiest, with about a hundred or so metres of rocks you must climb down in order to get to the main path. You could time your climb to watch the sun rise or set. Talking of views of Ben Lomond if you want one at Rowardennan the best is from the metal jetty. They also have outdoor seating so in the summer this would be a great spot to relax and unwind after a good old climb up Ben Lomond. Ben Lomond Saddle is one of the most stunning views in all of New Zealand. Either way, the food was great (we went for the battered halloumi and chips) and they have lots of options. As we got close to the summit we met the mountain bikers, who had already experienced mixed fortunes with the first part of their descent. It’s not for the fainthearted. The most popular path up to the summit of Ben Lomond is the Tourist Path, which starts at Rowardennan car park (Postcode G63 OAR). However, the climb is more gradual and straightforward than many, making it among the easier to climb, if boggy in places. There’s nothing wrong with the hill itself but as it’s within easy traveling distance from glasgow (and a very straightforward hill) it’s just so busy! Ben Lomond stands at 3195feet/974metres and is peak number 184 in the Munro heights table. Here's a look at my wonderful experience hiking Ben Lomond. Unsurprising as, though it’s slightly longer, it is more gradual and doesn’t require you to traverse any rocks. ©2020 Paul Saunders Media & Photography Ltd. Don’t forget to subscribe below to receive our monthly See Loch Lomond e-newsletter. Driving to Mantua Utah, east of Brigham City, you can take a dirt road up to Willard Basin just below Willard Peak. On clear days trampers are rewarded at the summit with spectacular panoramic views. The elevation provides an excellent view of Loch Lomond and its islands. This article and accompanying photographs are by Paul Saunders for See Loch Lomond. It has almost everything you want in a day hike; different landscapes, a mountaintop to climb and incredible, and I mean INCREDIBLE views. The night we stayed we decided to get dinner from the pub located right next to the car park. Ben Lomond is one of the most popular mountains in Scotland as it’s reasonably close to Glasgow and the nearby area is popular with tourists. It's a pretty challenging 5-6 hour climb, but not excessively if you're reasonably fit. Due to it's proximity to Glasgow, Ben Lomond is probably one of the busiest mountains in Scotland. You climb to a total of 974 metres above sea level, and much of the Red trail is well-trodden and very clear. As you climb the footpath beyond the forest you start to see the excellent view emerging over your shoulder. It’s located at the end of the Orange route, and they were selling water, some cakes, crisps and other snacks. Due to it's proximity to the populated areas of Scotland's Central Belt, Ben Lomond rivals Ben Nevis for the acolade as the most climbed hill in Scotland and its guardians the NTS and Forestry Commission work hard to manage and control the errosion. There is nowhere to buy food or drink on the way up the mountain, except for a small stall outside of someone's home. The trail is a steep climb for 3 miles and joins the Ben Lomond Trail just south of Culter Spring. It’s at the very end of a long rural road running up alongside the eastern shores of Loch Lomond. Pretty unsurprising and, according to my local travel companion on the way back down, it is like that much of the year. Well, after the Tongariro Crossing of course. To climb Ben Lomond head to Rowardennan on the east side of Loch Lomond. Easy walking on a fine track to the base of the mountain from where a decent path leads up higher. Located east of Willard Utah and north of Ogden, this is a fairly easy hike, about three and a half miles one way with an easy climb of about 1,000 feet. There are two routes heading to and from the summit of Ben Lomond. It also means you can get a head start up the mountain before it gets busy. I’ve climbed to the summit of Ben Lomond in all weathers. Take care on the descent, by the time you get close to the starting point your legs feel like jelly! It is known as a Munro, because it has a height of over 975 metres. Wild camping in Scotland was by far one of the most memorable parts of our entire 2 month long visit. TTFs on Trail. If climbing the trail as mapped, start at the North Fork Park's southwestern most parking lot, hike left going northwest past the corral. This entire region is surrounded by incredible mountains, all just begging to be climbed. Even if you don’t plan on hiking all the way up to the Ben Lomond Summit, just completing the Ben Lomond Saddle is worth the climb! Firstly, the rocks on parts of Ben More are magnetic and can give off faulty compass readings, so … The temptation for hill walkers who climb and descend Ben Lomond this way on a lovely sunny day is to dismiss the mountain as tame. From the gondola complex look for the well-signed route that veers into the woods from the luge track. The climb was tough in parts and sweaty because of the heat but we went prepared with caps,PLENTY water, sun cream, smidge and food. Cutler Basin trail is named after a scenic alpine basin formed by Ben Lomond and Willard Peaks. Wear sun screen and smidge (midge repellant), bring snacks/lunch, stock up at The Village Shop in Balmaha, next to the Oak Tree Inn (the last shop before Rowardennan). It's height is 3,196 feet, 974 metres. The descent was completed before 2pm. No matter what time of year you choose to visit Scotland and climb Ben Lomond, you can almost guarantee there will be rain or drizzle. Unfortunately for us, this was during the period when the whole region was under some lockdown restrictions so we couldn’t eat in (pretty gutting as they had a log fire in there!!!!). If you're planning to climb it here is some practical information which I hope you find useful. Since 1995 the area around the mountain has been dedicated to those who gave their lives during the first and second world wars. Compared to the other Munros in Scotland (mountains above 3000 feet / 914 metres), Ben Lomond is probably very straightforward. To climb Ben Lomond head to Rowardennan on the east side of Loch Lomond. Based on my experience, this route definitely is more tricky and requires you to traverse more wet and slippery sections of rocks. Always easy to follow . I quickly decided that I was going to do the Red route up and the Orange route down, as I’ve never been much of a fan of walking the same route twice. Note: Some posts may contain affiliate links. The Ben Lomond Trail is a great way to get to Ben Lomond Peak. There is a shorter walk that takes about 45 minutes round trip, that takes you on a tour of some old sites. Ben Lomond Saddle . Thanks to the cloud at the summit there wasn't any view to be had. Yes. Review of Ben Lomond Reviewed 4 September 2017 We went up the tourist path and down the ptarmigan - worked well for us - I think the tourist route for the climb is marginally easier and having the flat walk along by the loch at the end of the day rather than the beginning suited us. Compared to the other Munros in Scotland (mountains above 3000 feet / 914 metres), Ben Lomond is probably very straightforward. Scotland: Climbing Ben Lomond. Dogs Allowed. I climbed in October and for the final half of the way up the mountain there wasn’t much in the way of a view. Filled with all the tips and tricks you need to know in order to climb Ben Lomond yourself. Located on the east side of Loch Lomond, Ben Lomond is easy to access through the small village of Rowardennan. The views as you head down are superb, once of course you clear the cloud. It’s not too taxing a climb and has rewarding views (in good weather). Staying overnight here also offered me the chance to discover some of the other sites around Ben Lomond. Inside the National Park, Ben More and its close neighbour Stob Binnein are located close to Crianlarich and relatively easy to reach from there by public transport. Read more. Especially if you choose to take the Orange Route back down like we did. Rowardennan is approached by car (there are no busses) via an 11 mile dead-end road from the village of Drymen. Alert for the Ben Lomond Track View saved (0) The Ben Lomond Track is a demanding climb and a full day's hike with an 1,438 m elevation gain. Ben Lomond 27/01/2019. Located close to the jetty is a stone sculpture that commemorates the fallen service men and women of both world wars. On our trip we saw a Thistle Camp and Trailblazers team hard at work, this is an initiative to get young volunteers from around the world to have a holiday in Scotland, whilst contributing to conservation projects. The climb is very sociable and you meet a number of walkers, we even met a couple of mountain bikers! then no doubts you’re in the mood for hiking. Global Ranking #4422 in Mountain Biking. I've climbed this mountain a few times and my friends and I decided to climb Ben Lomond while the weather was still okay. Registered in Scotland SC503836. This is one of the best Scottish munro to climb as it rewards climbers with truly fantastic views of the whole of Loch Lomond. Taking on one of Scotlands most popular climbs, what was originally meant to be a nice, fast and simple hike proved to longer and more problematic than we could imagine. This took away the warmth and more sadly any kind of view. The route starts at the banks of loch lomond. I've also included some photographs taken on my recent climb. They have electronic measuring systems so that is probably quite accurate and shows the growing popularity of the walk. Ben Lomond, Rowardennan, Loch LomondThis is many folks’ first Munro, given its proximity to Glasgow (soul and city). Ben Lomond is the most southerly of the Munros and is located in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. When we left the car park it was very warm, however sadly there was a thick cloud base from just over half way up the mountain. Rowardennan is on the West Highland Way, with a Youth Hostel and Hotel. Around 30,000 people climb Ben Lomond every year according to the Lomond MRT. 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