Ben Lomond at the End of a Very Tiring Weekend
My usual prep for a mountain hiking day is carbs and a decent night’s sleep. But for Ben Lomond it was 5 games of football in 3 days, so to say I was well rested going into this one would be an absolute lie.
I hiked Ben Lomond’s mountain path with 5 women from my football team at the end of a tour weekend in Scotland. We’d prepared for the winter conditions you should prep for hiking Scotland’s mountains in early March. But we were lucky with ice and snow free paths throughout. Here’s how that hike went using data from my Garmin:
| Hike date | 10th March 2025 |
| Weather conditions | Dry and largely clear but heavy wind gusts and cold! |
| Distance hiked | 12.60km |
| Walking time | 4 hours 49 including stops |
| Elevation gain total | 1,002m |
| Terrain | Clear path the whole way. Rocky summit |
| Hiked with | 5 mentalists from football |
The Ben Lomond mountain path starts in the Rowardennan car park. With access to the shores of Loch Lomond, I took a few photos before we even set off.
It was quiet on the March term time Monday morning we hiked, but the existence of an overflow car park a half mile down the road tells you all you need to know about how busy it can get in the summertime. Arrive early to bag a spot. The path is well sign posted from within the car park and it very easy to follow throughout. Of course, snow cover could affect that!
We were all very enthusiastic despite the early morning. And despite the fact that we had played 5 games of football in the 3 days prior:
It starts in woodlands but soon emerges out into the open mountain side and at that point,the views back over Loch Lomond really start to open up.
Having hiked many a mountain in Scotland with negligible visibility and driving rain (I’m looking at you in particular, CMD Arête) I always have quite an appreciation for a view. And this one was exceptional.
The path is steep and rocky in parts and as you approach the summit, the views become 360.
Some of the cliff edges are incredibly impressive to look at:
With post football heavy legs, it felt hard work getting up Ben Lomond this time but honestly, the views made it worth it.
Winds reached around 40 mph with a -10 wind chill. Walking into the wind was definitely less than ideal. But nobody whinged! It was just one foot in front of the other until we were all hugging that trig at the top.
Massive thanks to the other walker who took a photo for us at the summit too:
Would I do it again?
I like the fact that Ben Lomond is in such close proximity to Glasgow. If you just fancy a quick munro with a few hours to spare, this is a handy one. I’m not in a massive rush to do it again, largely because I don’t like routes that are generally busier. But if I found myself nearby on a good weather day with few people about, I could be tempted to lace up my hiking boots for this one again.
It’s a strenuous hike. There is no technical scrambling or anything like that and in good weather conditions, the navigation is simple. So it’s not technically complex but it is a sustained uphill hike and will require a level of fitness.
Lomond Mountain Rescue doesn’t keep a log of incidents on its website. However, a quick Google search shows there certainly have been call outs to Ben Lomond. However, fatalities and serious injuries appear rate on Ben Lomond despite high visitor numbers. With simple navigation in good conditions, no exposure and no scrambling etc, this is a relatively straightforward one.
I actually think Ben Lomond, in decent weather conditions, would be a really good first mountain for a new hiker, yes.
As ever, it depends on your child. It is definitely not pram friendly, however. So a hiking carrier for little legs could be useful. in good conditions, there’s no reason children who are comfortable with hill walking couldn’t do this. I would happily take my 8 and 10 year old up.
