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Ben Lawers

Munro

Quick Facts
This is the height of the mountain above sea level. However, on the climb, it is the ascent that matters, i.e. the sum of all the uphill parts of the route.
Altitude
1214 m (3982 ft)

This is the standard notation used on Ordnance Survey Landranger maps.

Each reference consists of two letters identifying a 100,000 metre square block then three digits defining the Easting and finally the three digits defining the Northing with reference to the South West corner of the block.

NN166712 is the grid reference for the summit of Ben Nevis. Where you are given the map number ( For Ben Nevis = 41) it is acceptable to omit the two initial letters e.g. 166712. (Instructions on how to read the references are given on the OS maps).

Grid Ref.
NN63554142
An indication of this mountains height rank within its class. Where two mountains share the same height they are ordered alphabetically.
Stature
10 of 282 Munros
The number of ascent routes currently available on Munromagic.
Routes
2
Mountain names are usually in Gaelic, the native language of the Scottish Highlands, or have been derived from the old Scots and Norse languages. We give the most commonly accepted meaning, but accept that some of these are disputed.
Meaning
Hill of the loud stream
 

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

OS Landranger Maps Required
  51   Loch Tay & Glen Dochart
 

A description of the characteristics of the mountain including any hazards of which you should be aware.

 Description
Ben Lawers is the highest peak of a long ridge formed by six peaks, five over 3000ft.

This mountain is composed of four ridges, mostly grass with some rocky outcrops but the slopes between the S and W ridge are steep crumbling cliffs on which some of Britain's most beautiful alpine flowers grow.

The short W ridge connecting to Beinn Ghlas and the longer N ridge to An Stuc are the normal ascent routes for Ben Lawers, although a direct ascent from Lochan nan Cat to the S is possible. The most common ascent via Beinn Ghlas is a wide badly eroded path.

Hazards you may encounter on Ben Lawers include
 Crags near summit.
 
General Considerations
 Temperature decreases by 1degree C for every 100m of ascent.
 Wind usually increases with altitude.
 Visibility can change markedly with cloud level.
 River/Stream levels can increase markedly in one day.
Picture Gallery for Ben Lawers

A selection of weather forecasts local to #GetMountain.Top_Name#.

Ordnance Survey digital maps are also available to members.

 Weather & OS Maps
Southeastern Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)
East Highlands
by Met Office
Ben Lawers
by Metcheck
Ben Lawers Area Map
Legend  Munro  Corbett  Graham  English/Welsh Top  Accommodation

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 Where to Stay
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sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

The summary information of one or more ascent routes that include Ben Lawers.

Click on the route title to load the full content for that route.

 Routes that include Ben Lawers
  Ascent Distance Time Including... Description Rating
1 1428 m 14.21 km 5.5 hrs Ben Lawers, An Stuc and Beinn Ghlas  Easy day starting from 460m on well maintained paths and continuing on moderate grass slopes. There is a broad eroded path on Beinn Ghlas, a similar path on Ben Lawers. An Stuc is less frequently climbed.  
2 1748 m 20.45 km 7.5 hrs Ben Lawers, An Stuc, Meall Garbh [Lawers region], Beinn Ghlas and Meall Greigh  Ridge walk with a fair bit of up & down. Quite a streneous route with some easy scrambling. On paths for the majority of way, can be crowded between Ben Lawers & NT visitors centre. Need for second car or hitching (leave early) due to diff start/fin point  
 

Pictures submitted by members on the summit of Ben Lawers

 Baggers Gallery for Ben Lawers

Fantastic views! :-)

© Claire Cassidy

Image by Claire Cassidy

My first Munro

© Blair Cochrane

Image by Blair Cochrane

At the summit of Lawers from Ghlas on the 27th may was totally roasting hot

© Andrew Rutherford

Image by Andrew Rutherford

Martin and me on top of Ben Lawyers

© Ian Noble

Image by Ian Noble
View All 60 Baggers Images for Ben Lawers
The logging section stores any entries for Ben Lawers in your own log. From here you can
  1. Add a route log entry that includes this mountain
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 Logging
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Recently Climbed By
Niall Mckelvie on 10 Oct 2024
Justin Kirby on 03 Aug 2024
Michael Yates on 29 Jun 2024
Andrew Hinton on 28 Apr 2024
Daniel Carter on 26 Nov 2023

If a member has uploaded a tracklog as part of their personal route log and opted to share it then it will be presented here.

You can view a members route overlayed on an online map or download the KMZ file for use in Google Earth.

 Shared Members Track Logs
 
Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers
by Graham Ellis
Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers
by Phillip Ferguson
Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers
by Graham Gaw
Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers
by Brendan Waters
Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers
by Kenny Mcneill

Post a few words about Ben Lawers or read what others have had to say.

 Comments
 
Showing the most recent 5 of 19 comments. Would you like to view all 19?
James Corrigan
wrote on
February 27, 2011
Started from the car park and up to Beinn Ghlas via Creag nan Gabhiar.At this point it was getting very icy so on with crampons and out with ice axe.This always increases the boldness so decided to hack my way up 2 long and steep snow packs to the top of Beinn Ghlas.The connecting ridge to Lawers was also frozen solid and i worried for several folks including one group with 4 children around age 10 with no crampons on the connecting ridge.Over to Ben Lawers and up a nice steep ice slab, then re joined the main path to Lawers summit.Weather does its worst and a whilte out is on me.Battled to the top and back rapid before the wind chill froze me to the spot!Returned same route and the weather cleared again giving great views of most of the Munro`s in the area.
Fiona Thomson
wrote on
September 19, 2009
Sunny with snowy patches. Climbed again with Lou, sunny but cloudy but views from the top. This was second time up hill as first climbed approx 9 years ago with my Dad, even though he cheated and went to BL on the low path and made me go via BG first. 19.09.09 climbed yet agin, plan B as meant to go up Meall Nan Tarmachan but due to mist headed up side path to BL first then over to BG. A lot easier that way and much more fun due to the three lads we met from E Kilbride who made us laugh all the way home, even in the mist and rain and taught us to 'point'.
Cameron Gair
wrote on
September 14, 2009
Climbed with my son on Friday 4/09/09. Weather very cloudy and very windy with 60 mph gusts but no rain. Climbed the Munro magic route from visitor centre above Loch Tay. The Centre is closed permanently now. Good path up to Beinn Ghlas which we reached in 1 hour 15 mins then onto Ben Lawers. The path to An Stuc bears left (North) at the 2 trig points. Fairly easy climb to An Stuc which we reached in 45 mins from Ben Lawers. Cloud lifted lower down. Had to return to Ben Lawers then descended to where the path branches and took the very easy path down the valley. 5 hours 15 mins round trip.
Martin Briggs
wrote on
September 8, 2008
A Superb effort from my Little one aged 8 who did very well to get to the summit..although she did keep asking me where all the other kids were..!! She wanted to go on..We..My wife and I were too tired...LOL She always seems determined to finish what she started. A wonderful day with wonderful views
Gary Welsh
wrote on
August 25, 2008
Set out for what looked like being a beautiful day. The target was at least Beinn Ghlas and Ben Lawers, with the possibility of adding An Stuc and Meall Garbh should we feel up to it. The NTS car park was bathed in sunshine, so not really concerned about the clouds enveloping the peaks. Once we got towards the clouds though it became clear that the wind was going to pick up the higher we got. Soon we had only 20-30 metres visibility, but we found the first target, Beinn Ghlas after 90 minutes climbing. We continued upwards along the ridge to Ben Lawers, easily summited only 20 minutes or so later. We were pleased to find the summit was naturally sheltered from the wind, and we happily ate lunch in the company of several other climbers. On descent we got a close up view of a large group of deer. A pretty nice way to remember a climb which promised much, but delivered very little else.
 
 

A full written account of a climb submitted by our members.

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 Route Write-Ups
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