Ben Lomond
Encyclopedia
Ben Lomond 974 metres (3,195.5 ft), is a distinctive mountain in the Scottish Highlands
. Situated on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond
, it is the most southerly of the Munro
s. Ben Lomond lies within the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park and the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
, property of the National Trust for Scotland
.
Its accessibility from Glasgow
and elsewhere in central Scotland
, together with the relative ease of ascent from Rowardennan
, makes it one of the most popular of all the Munros. On a clear day, it is visible from the higher grounds of Glasgow and eastwards across the low-lying central valley of Scotland; this may have led to it being named 'Beacon Mountain', as with the equally far-seen Lomond Hills
in Fife
. Ben Lomond summit can also be seen from Ben Nevis
, the highest peak in Britain, over 70 miles (112.7 km) away. The West Highland Way
runs along the western base of the mountain, by the loch.
Ben Lomond's popularity in Scotland has resulted in several namesakes in the former British colonies of Australia
, New Zealand
, Trinidad
and the United States
- see this list
. The mountain is mentioned directly in the popular folk song
The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond
.
range. The mountain comprises two parallel south-southeasterly ridges: the Sròn Aonaich ridge to the east and the Ptarmigan ridge to the west. North of the summit these ridges come together and lead to a 456 metres (1,496.1 ft) col with Cruin a' Bheinn, a Graham. The summit is grassy and rocky and is marked by a triangulation pillar
Ben Lomond's geology is dominated by granite
, mica schist, diorite
, porphyry
and quartzite
. Ben Lomond lies on the Scottish watershed
, the drainage divide which separates river systems that flow to the east from those that flow to the west.
The usual route up Ben Lomond is via the 'tourist path', a wide, eroded and easy path which is roughly paved in steeper sections. This track was created owing to the mountain's status as one of the most popular in Scotland
and climbs the gentle Sròn Aonaich ridge, before ascending a steeper section to the rocky summit ridge.
An alternative route follows the Ptarmigan ridge to the summit along a steeper and rockier path. The Ptarmigan path is the second most popular route, followed by a third route which approaches from Gleann Dubh.
Despite the comparative ease of the tourist route, Ben Lomond can present a significant challenge to inexperienced walkers, especially in poor weather conditions. A dedicated Lomond Mountain Rescue Team has existed since 1967 to assist walkers and climbers on Ben Lomond other surrounding peaks.
ecozone, hosting bird species including peregrine falcon
, merlins
, rock ptarmigan, red grouse
and golden eagles. A study by the British Trust for Ornithology
found that Ben Lomond may host the most southerly breeding ptarmigan population in Scotland, following the decline of these populations on Goatfell and the Arran
mountains, potentially as a result of climate change
.
In addition to natural wildlife, the mountain area supports sheep farming activities. The National Trust for Scotland
is tasked with maintaining a land management programme which sustains a balance of natural habitat conservation and the availability of land for grazing
.
, called the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park. The park is dedicated to those who gave their lives in the First
and Second
World Wars and was created out of the former Rowardennan Estate with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund
.
The Memorial Park was officially opened on Armistice Day
in 1997 by the Rt Hon Donald Dewar
, then Secretary of State for Scotland
and later becoming the first First Minister of Scotland
. At the opening ceremony he unveiled a granite sculpture by Doug Cocker, a Scottish artist
who had won a competition organised by the Scottish Sculpture Trust to design a permanent monument
for the park.
At the time of its creation, management of the Memorial Park was entrusted to the NTS
, Forestry Commission
and the now defunct Scottish Office
.
In 2002, the Scottish Parliament
created the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
, the first national park in Scotland. The national park entirely encompasses the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park.
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
. Situated on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
, it is the most southerly of the Munro
Munro
A Munro is a mountain in Scotland with a height over . They are named after Sir Hugh Munro, 4th Baronet , who produced the first list of such hills, known as Munros Tables, in 1891. A Munro top is a summit over 3,000 ft which is not regarded as a separate mountain...
s. Ben Lomond lies within the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park and the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is a national park in Scotland centred on Loch Lomond, and includes several ranges of hills, the Trossachs being the most famous...
, property of the National Trust for Scotland
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...
.
Its accessibility from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and elsewhere in central Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, together with the relative ease of ascent from Rowardennan
Rowardennan
Rowardennan is a small hamlet on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond in Scotland.Rowardennan is at the northern end of the public road, but the West Highland Way passes through the village and continues north along the side of the loch. Rowardennan has a hostel and camping for hikers on the West...
, makes it one of the most popular of all the Munros. On a clear day, it is visible from the higher grounds of Glasgow and eastwards across the low-lying central valley of Scotland; this may have led to it being named 'Beacon Mountain', as with the equally far-seen Lomond Hills
Lomond Hills
The Lomond Hills , also known as the Paps of Fife lie in the centre of Fife, Scotland. At 522m West Lomond is the highest point in the county of Fife.-Natural geography:...
in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. Ben Lomond summit can also be seen from Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
, the highest peak in Britain, over 70 miles (112.7 km) away. The West Highland Way
West Highland Way
The West Highland Way is a linear long distance footpath in Scotland, with the official status of Long Distance Route. It is 154.5km long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the route...
runs along the western base of the mountain, by the loch.
Ben Lomond's popularity in Scotland has resulted in several namesakes in the former British colonies of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- see this list
Ben Lomond (disambiguation)
Ben Lomond is a mountain in Scotland east of Loch Lomond.Ben Lomond may also refer to:Australia:*Ben Lomond, Tasmania, a mountain in Tasmania*Ben Lomond National Park, a national park in Tasmania...
. The mountain is mentioned directly in the popular folk song
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond
The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond
"The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond", or simply "Loch Lomond" for short, is a well-known traditional Scottish song . It was first published in 1841 in Vocal Melodies of Scotland....
.
Geography and geology
Ben Lomond has a craggy summit which appears conical when viewed from the nearby Arrochar AlpsArrochar Alps
The Arrochar Alps are a group of mountains located around the head of Loch Long, Loch Fyne,and Loch Goil, near the villages of Arrochar and Lochgoilhead in Argyll, Scotland. The mountains are especially popular with hillwalkers, due to their proximity and accessibility from Glasgow...
range. The mountain comprises two parallel south-southeasterly ridges: the Sròn Aonaich ridge to the east and the Ptarmigan ridge to the west. North of the summit these ridges come together and lead to a 456 metres (1,496.1 ft) col with Cruin a' Bheinn, a Graham. The summit is grassy and rocky and is marked by a triangulation pillar
Ben Lomond's geology is dominated by granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, mica schist, diorite
Diorite
Diorite is a grey to dark grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar , biotite, hornblende, and/or pyroxene. It may contain small amounts of quartz, microcline and olivine. Zircon, apatite, sphene, magnetite, ilmenite and sulfides occur as accessory...
, porphyry
Porphyry (geology)
Porphyry is a variety of igneous rock consisting of large-grained crystals, such as feldspar or quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained feldspathic matrix or groundmass. The larger crystals are called phenocrysts...
and quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
. Ben Lomond lies on the Scottish watershed
Scottish watershed
The Scottish watershed is the drainage divide in Scotland which separates river systems that flow to the east from those that flow to the west. On the summit of Ben Lomond for example, looking west all water flows to the Firth of Clyde, and looking east all water flows into the Firth of...
, the drainage divide which separates river systems that flow to the east from those that flow to the west.
Ascent routes
The usual route up Ben Lomond is via the 'tourist path', a wide, eroded and easy path which is roughly paved in steeper sections. This track was created owing to the mountain's status as one of the most popular in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and climbs the gentle Sròn Aonaich ridge, before ascending a steeper section to the rocky summit ridge.
An alternative route follows the Ptarmigan ridge to the summit along a steeper and rockier path. The Ptarmigan path is the second most popular route, followed by a third route which approaches from Gleann Dubh.
Despite the comparative ease of the tourist route, Ben Lomond can present a significant challenge to inexperienced walkers, especially in poor weather conditions. A dedicated Lomond Mountain Rescue Team has existed since 1967 to assist walkers and climbers on Ben Lomond other surrounding peaks.
Fauna
The higher regions of the mountain support an alpine tundraAlpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
ecozone, hosting bird species including peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, merlins
Merlin (bird)
The Merlin is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. A bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America, the Merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter.-European and North American...
, rock ptarmigan, red grouse
Red grouse
The Red Grouse is a medium sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the Willow Grouse but is sometimes considered to be a separate species Lagopus scoticus...
and golden eagles. A study by the British Trust for Ornithology
British Trust for Ornithology
The British Trust for Ornithology is an organisation founded in 1932 for the study of birds in the British Isles.-Activities:The BTO carries out research into the lives of birds, chiefly by conducting population and breeding surveys and by bird ringing, largely carried out by a large number of...
found that Ben Lomond may host the most southerly breeding ptarmigan population in Scotland, following the decline of these populations on Goatfell and the Arran
Isle of Arran
Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
mountains, potentially as a result of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
In addition to natural wildlife, the mountain area supports sheep farming activities. The National Trust for Scotland
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...
is tasked with maintaining a land management programme which sustains a balance of natural habitat conservation and the availability of land for grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
.
Memorial Park and National Park
Since 1995, the area around Ben Lomond, including the mountain summit, has been designated as a war memorialWar memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
, called the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park. The park is dedicated to those who gave their lives in the First
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Second
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
World Wars and was created out of the former Rowardennan Estate with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund
National Heritage Memorial Fund
The National Heritage Memorial Fund is a non-departmental public body set up under the National Heritage Act 1980 in memory of people who gave their lives for the United Kingdom....
.
The Memorial Park was officially opened on Armistice Day
Armistice Day
Armistice Day is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day...
in 1997 by the Rt Hon Donald Dewar
Donald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
, then Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
and later becoming the first First Minister of Scotland
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
. At the opening ceremony he unveiled a granite sculpture by Doug Cocker, a Scottish artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
who had won a competition organised by the Scottish Sculpture Trust to design a permanent monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
for the park.
At the time of its creation, management of the Memorial Park was entrusted to the NTS
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...
, Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
and the now defunct Scottish Office
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the United Kingdom Government from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland...
.
In 2002, the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
created the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is a national park in Scotland centred on Loch Lomond, and includes several ranges of hills, the Trossachs being the most famous...
, the first national park in Scotland. The national park entirely encompasses the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park.
