Ben Lomond is a distinctive mountain in the southern Scottish Highlands, and is in fact the most southerly of the Munros (a Scottish hill over 3,000 ft).

The Munros are so named because of Sir Hugh Munro, 4th Baronet, who was the first to compile a list of all such hills.We’ve taken a special liking to Ben Lomond, because you can see it from the balcony of our Killearn B&B.

The Tourist Path up Ben Lomond

Ben Lomond very accessible, and is just one of a number of lovely, if challenging, walks near Killearn. The West Highland Way runs alongside the base of Ben Lomond, when it skirts the shores of Loch Lomond.

There are two main ascent routes, one of which is the ‘tourist path’, with the other being more suited to experienced hikers and climbers. The tourist path is wide, and a relatively easy climb in good weather.

However, when the winter closes in, Ben Lomond can become a very challenging and sometimes treacherous climb. Because of this a dedicated Ben Lomond Rescue Service has been set up to monitor tourist traffic up the Munro and respond quickly in case of an emergency.

The alternate route follows the Ptarmigan ridge to the summit along a steeper and rockier path, and is only recommended for serious enthusiasts, especially in winter. There is also a third route, which is not as popular as the first two but represents an equal challenge to the second.  This route also goes along the Ptarmigan ridge, but approaches from Gleann Dubh.