Ben Lawers routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
1,214 m ยท Perth and Kinross
Ben Lawers is the 1214m high point of the southern Highlands and Perthshire, a Munro above Loch Tay climbed over Beinn Ghlas.
Peakify lists 2 measured routes up Ben Lawers, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Ben Lawers routes, easiest to hardest
Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.
| Route | Start | Distance | Ascent | Time up | There and back | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Lawers car park via Beinn Ghlas | Ben Lawers car park (Loch Tay to Glen Lyon road) | 6.1 km one way | 884 m | 2h 40m | 3h 55m | Moderate |
| Lawers village via Lochan nan Cat | Lawers (Loch Tay) | 8.6 km one way | 1,019 m | 3h 25m | 5h 10m | Moderate |
Ben Lawers route times by Naismith's rule
The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.
Each Ben Lawers route
Ben Lawers car park via Beinn Ghlas
A path climbs through the nature reserve and over Beinn Ghlas, then drops to a bealach and climbs to the summit. It starts from Ben Lawers car park (Loch Tay to Glen Lyon road). 6.1 km one way with 884 m of ascent. About 2h 40m to the summit and 3h 55m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Lawers village via Lochan nan Cat
A path climbs north from Loch Tay to the lochan in the corrie below the summit. You then climb the east ridge to the top. It starts from Lawers (Loch Tay). 8.6 km one way with 1,019 m of ascent. About 3h 25m to the summit and 5h 10m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.
Ben Lawers route GPX
This page doesn't offer a GPX download. To get a GPX file for a Ben Lawers route, use the Peakify iPhone app: open Ben Lawers, plan the route in the route planner (or import a GPX you already have), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.
Before you pick a route
The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Ben Lawers today and the Ben Lawers 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Ben Lawers routes
The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.
Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.
Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
If you are new to Ben Lawers, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.
Questions about Ben Lawers
What is the easiest route up Ben Lawers?
Start at the Ben Lawers car park and follow the path over Beinn Ghlas to the summit.
How much time does each Ben Lawers route take?
Ben Lawers car park via Beinn Ghlas: about 2h 40m up and 3h 55m there and back. Lawers village via Lochan nan Cat: about 3h 25m up and 5h 10m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.
Can I get a GPX file for a Ben Lawers route?
Not from this page. In the Peakify iPhone app, plan the route in the route planner (or import one), save it, then choose Export GPX on the saved route. GPX export is part of Peakify Pro.