Route: Ben Lawers

Distance: 11km

Ascent: 875m

Grade: Strenuous

Time taken: 6-7 hours

OS Map: 51

Ben Lawers is the tenth highest Munro in Scotland. It is internationally recognised for its arctic-alpine flora and is a National Nature Reserve. It also has an interesting human history, with people having lived on its slopes for 9,000 years and farmed there since the Bronze Age. More recently, it played a key role in the early development of skiing in Scotland!

The main route is from the National Trust for Scotland car park on the lower slopes of the mountain. After passing through an area of regenerating woodland, the path goes up a broad slope and then a grassy ridge to the first summit of Beinn Ghlas. At this point, on a good day, you will see the summit of Ben Lawers ahead. The path drops to a col and then goes up the slopes to  the summit of Ben Lawers itself. On a good day, there are fantastic views in all directions!

After returning to the col, you can follow a quieter path on the north side of Beinn Ghlas. The path traverses across the mountain to another, broad, col and from here the path goes steadily downhill to rejoin the main path near the regenerating woodland. On a good day, this walk can offer great views in all directions. The walk follows good paths. It starts and finishes at the National Trust for Scotland car park which is signposted from the main road between Kenmore and Killin.

This is a full mountain day reaching a height of 1,214m – the temperature and the weather can change a lot between the low valleys and the summit.

There are various other options in the Ben Lawers area, including Munro's that can be walked from the village of Lawers (car parking here can be very limited though).