Home   Glossary
Ben Lomond
Quick Facts
This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.
Total Ascent
1006 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time
4.5 hrs
The horizontal distance of the route.
Route Distance
11.88 km
 

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.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required
  56   Loch Lomond & Inveraray
Only £6.29  (£13.49 Laminated) from  

A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

 Notes
An easy route on a broad eroded path leading all the way to the summit. Can be muddy.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

 Travel Information

Head to: Balmaha

From Balmaha (B837) travel NNW 11km on eastern shore of Loch Lomond to Rowardenan.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,006 metres. Allow 4.5 hours to complete this 11.88 km route.

In winter months please check the local snow conditions at sais.gov.uk.

The hillphones service can inform you of stalking activities in the area.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

 Route Information
Waypoint Detail
  The route is well signposted from the carpark by the pier
  NS35949862 Distance
Altitude
20 m
1
Follow path SE through forest to junction
NS36149853 Distance
0.28 km
Altitude
36 m
2
Follow path NE through forest, then NNE to junction
NS37659988 Distance
2.10 km
Altitude
438 m
3
Take left branch of path and ascend NNW
NN37210252 Distance
2.93 km
Altitude
842 m
4
Ascend NW to summit of Ben Lomond
NN36700284 Distance
0.62 km
Altitude
974 m
5
Descend by same route
  NS35949862 Distance
5.95 km
Altitude
20 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

 Weather
West Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)
West Highlands
by Met Office
Ben Lomond
by Metcheck
Images of Ben Lomond
Route Area Map
Legend  Munro  Corbett  Graham  English/Welsh Top  Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

 Where to Stay
We currently have no
sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

Rating & Reviews

 Rating & Reviews
Rated:
 from 19 votes
Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating
Written by Sc Joss on 21 Feb 2007:
We climbed this on a beautiful day in February. It is a really easy path but still a worthwhile trek for the views. Make a circular route of it and go up the path adn then descend by the Ptarmigan ridge- in snowy weather it might be better to do this the other way round as the descent from the top is quite steep and can be slippery in snow.
 
Written by Neil Fox on 08 Oct 2006:
Perfect weather for my very first munro. Found the initial climb out through the forested section a bit tough going, probably due to my age and lack of exercise! Once onto the main path along the ridge, the pain soon eased and I was able to take in the fantastic views on the way up. Again, tough going on the thighs on the scramble to the summit but the views made it all worth while. Took the Ptarmigan Ridge Route on the way down. The initial descent through the crags certainly got my heart racing and the steep slopes turned my thighs to jelly. A good walk and extremely beautiful place.
 
Written by Craig Robinson on 15 Sep 2006:
Having climbed this mountain in both summer and winter, l have to recommend the latter of the two. The snow turned a routine slog up an badly eroded path into a good tough outing. Along with my mate Donny, this was our first winter outing. This gave us the confidence to do many more. Great fun in the winter and the best time to climb this hill.
 
Written by Adam Rixon on 14 Jan 2005:
A good day out for all ages! Big paths and big views encourage plenty of first time climbers by the looks of it. And on a clear day, it'll leave them with a positive impression of Scotland's mountains, which can't be a bad thing.
 
Written by Alistair Hamilton on 07 Mar 2004:
Straight forward 1st climb (after 20 odd years!) with well trodden path all the way to the top. Though a Saturday, I didn't find it too busy. Indeed, enjoyed the banter with others. Mind you, it may be different during the summer. Came down via the ptarmigan peak which I found much more exilerating though the views aren't quite so spectacular.
 
Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.
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