Ben Lawers

Ben Lawers is the tenth highest Munro peak and one of the most popular walks in Scotland overlooking Loch Tay. En route to the summit a second Munro, Beinn Ghlas, is also climbed.

Ben Lawers is a National Nature Reserve and is renowned for its arctic alpine flora. Although there is a straight path to the summit the height of this peak at 1214 metres leaves it exposed to bad weather conditions and therefore walkers should ensure they have appropriate gear with them. The Munros are the Scottish Mountains over 3000 feet and were named after Sir Hugh Munro. There are 284 Munros in Scotland with many people aiming to climb all of them, although not on the same day. This is sometimes termed “Munro Bagging.” 

The walk starts in the Ben Lavers Car Park which is already at a considerable height. Take the path adjacent to the nature reserve past grazing sheep and deer and the huge peak in sight is Beinn Ghlas which is summated first before Ben Lawers comes into view. The track has a fair bit of shale before becoming steeper and zig zagging up towards the summit, becoming even more rockier. A grassy ridge leads down to a pass before the final ascent on Ben Lawers.

The views from the summit are breathtaking across the Southern highlands and worth the effort to climb this Munro. Some people descend the same way they came up whilst others who want a longer trek head over to bag even more Munros with An Stuc, Meall Garbh and Meall Geigh before descending via Beinn Ghlas and Meall Corranaich to the nature reserve once more.