How to Climb Ben Lomond: Routes, Times and Parking

Ben Lomond is the most southerly Munro and comfortably the most climbed mountain in Scotland. Rising 974 metres straight out of the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, less than an hour from Glasgow, it is the first Munro for tens of thousands of walkers every year. It earns that popularity — the paths are excellent, the views are enormous, and it is achievable for any reasonably fit walker on a good day. It is still a real mountain, though, and worth doing properly.

A first Munro for good reason

Ben Lomond sits inside the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and everything about it is welcoming: a short drive from the Central Belt, a well-signed start, and two clear routes to the top with no scrambling on either. If you are choosing your first Munro, it is one of the finest introductions in the country. What makes it special is the position — you climb a broad ridge with Loch Lomond and its islands spread out beneath you almost the whole way.

The Tourist Path: the standard ascent

The Tourist Path (also called the Mountain Path) is the route most walkers take. It starts from the car park at Rowardennan, at the end of the road up the east side of Loch Lomond, and climbs steadily up the mountain's broad south ridge. It is around 11 kilometres round trip with about 970 metres of ascent, and most people take 4.5 to 6 hours there and back.

The path is superbly built and easy to follow, climbing at a friendly gradient before steepening for the final pull onto the summit ridge. The last section is a short, narrower ridge to the trig point — nothing exposed, but a proper mountain top rather than a rounded dome. It is the perfect route for a first Munro or a straightforward day out.

The Ptarmigan Ridge: the better circuit

For a more interesting and much quieter day, climb the Ptarmigan Ridge and descend the Tourist Path (or the reverse). The Ptarmigan route breaks off near the start and climbs the western shoulder above the loch, giving a narrower, more characterful ridge with far better views down to the water. Combining the two makes a satisfying circuit of roughly 12 kilometres that turns Ben Lomond from a there-and-back walk into a genuine round. It is slightly rougher underfoot than the Tourist Path but still well within the reach of a fit beginner in good conditions.

Getting there and parking at Rowardennan

Rowardennan is reached by a single-track road up the east shore of Loch Lomond from Drymen and Balmaha. The car park fills early on any fine weekend — arrive before 9am in summer, or use the seasonal water bus across the loch from Tarbet as a car-free alternative. There are toilets at the car park and a hotel nearby. Because this is a National Park honeypot, park considerately and take all litter home.

When to go and what to pack

Ben Lomond is a rewarding walk from late spring through autumn. In winter it becomes a serious snow climb — the summit ridge and the steep upper Tourist Path hold ice and cornices, and people get into difficulty here every year, so treat it as a full winter mountain requiring an ice axe, crampons and the skills to use them. In any season, carry warm layers, waterproofs, food, water, and a map — the summit can be cold and in cloud while the loch shore is warm and still. Check the mountain forecast before you set off.

Making a day of it

On a clear day the summit view is one of the best value in Scotland: the length of Loch Lomond and its scattered islands, the jagged Arrochar Alps to the west, and, far to the north, the bulk of Ben Lawers and even Ben Nevis on the clearest days. Log the climb in the Munros app and you have started your round on the most popular Munro of all — with offline maps, the route and the summit forecast stored on your phone for the day itself, and your first of 282 ticked off.

Related guides

• Best Munros for beginners — where to start your round
• Munro weekends from Glasgow — Ben Lomond and beyond
• Loch Lomond Munros — the wider area