Ben Lomond and Ptarmigan Ridge Trail

Ben Lomond – The circular route When planning the Scotland trip we made sure to include lots of adventures. Our first hike was up Ben Lomond. Not much research was done for this as it seemed quite straight forward. It was more of a planned break from driving up further north for us really, so the circular route was found and uploaded on to the watch. The day was quite overcast, however that has never stopped us, as for some reason we enjoy ourselves even in the rain. Geared up with waterproofs we headed on our hike. We started at the visitor centre just by the lake – Loch Lomond. All the signs were pointing up to the way we had planned, so we thought we were on the right track and safe! It appears that most people avoid doing this route in a circular way, but rather climb it up and then come down the same way. There is nothing wrong with that and we have done routes that way before, however heading down a different route seemed more exciting for us on this occasion. Due to how misty it was you couldn’t really tell how far you’ve gone or how far is left to go. Especially with no prior route research. We had lots of people passing us on their climb down, even a man who had turned back instead of doing to circular route, as the climb down on the cliff edge had seemed dangerous with minimal visibility. We thanked for the advice and decided to judge it ourselves when we get to the top. When we thought we were quite close to the summit, but without seeing it, due to the clouds, we were told by passers-by that we are very wrong and there’s quite a bit to go still, as well as told that there’s a difficult scrambling bit coming up too. (We didn’t really find a difficult scrambling bit) It’s quite funny how different peoples hard is defined in different ways. As for us this did not seem like a hard route even though it was constant uphill really. But to be fair this was our first hike for the trip and we were full of energy and with full pockets of energy bars! The weather didn’t seem to be our friend as on the climb up it was raining and quite windy so even if you were hot you kind of had to keep the waterproof jacket on, unless you wanted to get wet and cold. However once we reached the top the skies slightly opened up to reveal the views, still covered in clouds and slightly grey they were beautiful. Few of the energy bars were eaten on the top and conversations exchanged with other adventurers, all happy that the clouds had cleared for the views and we could enjoy them and take pictures. We didn’t really stay up on the summit too long and decided that as the weather had slightly cleared and the path down on the other side is quite visible we would carry on, on the route we had planned. A lot of people were passed on the way up, however on the climb down we didn’t really see anyone, except for this one lady that was heading up the scrambly route. We had a good chat and wished her good luck on her sunset hike for the top. The way down on the other side was a little bit more wild, the path wasn’t as walked and slightly overgrown in places, but nothing too difficult. I would say, or even dare to suggest to do this route clockwise, as this way you would have the little bit of scrambling on your way up (a very beginner friendly scramble, really) and the easier more steady walk down. I do believe that walking up this other way would be tougher but definitely more exciting. Once you’ve reached the bottom of the route you will be walking on a paved road for a moment before getting back to the visitor center (there are facilities there and some campsites nearby too). As well as you will be passing one of the beaches of Loch Lomond. We did manage to do the route pretty fast, I must say. So I would suggest to not judge it by our speed, however I can’t see it taking much longer than 6 hours, I think. It all depends on the weather and your fitness capabilities. Once we had changed into dry clothes for after the hike and had had some food we did enjoy a short dip in the lake as well! Which was wonderful, but quite cold. Overall, I would say that this is relatively easy route with no really hard parts, especially if you’re planning on heading down the same way you came up.

It's started. We did our first Munro, Scottish summit at least 3000 feet yesterday! The Ben Lomond is the southernmost Munro and the most climbed. So this year we are one of those 30,000. The Ben Lomond Path is called a motorway, so we climbed it via the rough side, the Ptarmigan Path. A little strange feeling. We were all alone on our ascent. At first we were gassed by the spectacle of the clouds, but afterwards we didn't see much above us. So every time you say, that's him, but it turned out that it was about an intermediate slope. On top they say that it is a real crowd, but no, nobody. This changed on the descent along the easy path. We passed one after the other and each time they asked if it was still far :-). Apparently we were the only ones to take the Ptarmigan trail and we were clearly the first to leave. After a while the clouds moved away and the weather became nice. This again provided beautiful panoramas. After 6 hours we were downstairs. Tomorrow we move to Fort William where another 6 hours hike is expected and then Ben Nevis, the highest and most popular Munro!

Ben Lomond is Scotland's most southerly Munro and one of its most popular mountains to hike. This is a landscape where the lowlands meet the highlands and this glorious peak sits proudly in the centre of the beautiful Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. As with most trail routes in Scotland, the terrain is technical and rocky so it's important to take care on the paths and wear appropriate footwear and clothing. For this hike I wore the Salomon X-ULTRA 4 GTX, a hiking shoe that is as agile as a trail-running shoe and one which provides all the stability, grip and waterproof protection you need to tackle technical terrain. And aside from performance, I just love the colour and style! 👉 https://www.sportsshoes.com/products/?q=salomon%20ultra%20hike%204

8 o'clock breakfast. 8:30 am Depart for Ben Lomond. A hill on the edge of the Highlands with 974m and thus 968 meters higher than Loch Lomond 😉. The first 300hm were covered in muggy, damp vegetation because the moisture was just evaporating. It quickly became clear with today's temperatures we need a bit longer. The first cow gate came, but we couldn't figure out what should be different here 🤔. Hill after hill appeared before us but it was still steep with steps up to 40cm high. Several hikers overtook us. Some also jog up the mountain like the crazy mountain runners in Italy. Definitely not for us. There were great views of the Loch and Ben to marvel at. Once again we thought we were at the top. Not at 723 meters 😥 at the small pond filled with the typical black water of the peat of the Highlands. Here I couldn't resist taking a refreshing bath 🏊.

Ferocious winds up Ben Lomond today. Almost blown off my feet a couple of times and very wet too. A type 2 fun kind of day.

Solitude on the way up 👌 Like the High Street on the descent🚶‍♀️🚶🚶‍♂️ But a braw day for a hike🌤️😊

Growing up my family holidays were always based on outdoor adventures rather than sitting on a beach all day. I couldn’t pinpoint my first experience of hiking but know from a young age I loved nothing more than getting out into the mountains and was always in awe of the amazing scenery on offer here. The remoteness and wildness of the mountains is a necessity for me – I find I’m my best self when I get to get out into the hills and it gives me a chance to reset. The feeling I get from travelling to a wild part of the UK with everything I need strapped to my back, content knowing my main goal is to revere in the tranquillity of nature is one of the simpler joys in life. All of the trials and tribulations of life are stripped back and you’re simply focused on being present which doesn’t happen too often in everyday life. Ben Lomond is the most southerly munro and a good introduction to munro bagging. For this hike I was showing my best friend around Scotland for the first time and thought this would be a good introduction. The route is gradual from the car park, a well built and easy to follow path takes you up through some woodland and then up onto a ridge where the summit becomes visible. The final 250m to the summit are the most strenuous with the incline increasing again but the stunning views on offer the whole way up more than make up for this. Many opt to take the same route down but we continued on completing a loop down the ridge visible from the summit. These are where we found the best views so I’d highly recommend continuing on! The sheer size of Munro’s shouldn’t put you off hiking them, as with a bit of mountain experience, some planning and a positive attitude you’re off! Often all of the negative connotations associated with it, the long distance/elevation, the remoteness or the perceived discomfort all contribute to it being one of the most rewarding outdoor experiences. In terms of kit, for this hike I wore the Montane Dart T-Shirt because it was fast wicking, lightweight and super comfy. 👉 Montane Dart T-Shirt | SportsShoes.com I also wore the Montane Protium Hoodie – the perfect mid-layer for cool conditions. The temperature was fine but the wind cut through when I was just in a t shirt so this provided the right amount of warmth and breathability whilst going uphill. 👉 Montane Protium Hoodie - SS22 | SportsShoes.com My Montane Litespeed jacket is lightweight and packs down super-small. It is also very windproof which came in handy at the summit where the wind had picked up. 👉 Montane Litespeed Jacket - SS22 | SportsShoes.com The Montane Terra Stretch pants are the comfiest hiking trousers I’ve tried! They are really flexible and stretchy, so made going uphill a breeze. 👉 Montane Terra Stretch Pants (Regular Leg) - SS22 | SportsShoes.com

To kick off our little trip in Scotland, we went to Ben Lomond. A tough climb that never seems to end. The wide view of the lake and the mountains rewards you for the pain. Fantastic. Today it was sunny but very windy. It was also quite cold at the top. Great view in all directions. Can't be described. So gigantic 🤩 The way down was a fantastic ridge path that never seems to end. At the bottom you can cool your feet in the lake and enjoy the sun 😎