Descending Ben Lawyers towards Beinn Ghlas

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Also known as: Beinn Labhair
Significance: High Point for the Historic County of Perthshire, Council Top for Perth and Kinross, Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon NSA High Point
Member of: Munros, Marilyns
Parent Peak: Ben Nevis
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Aonach Beag
Elevation: 1,124m
Date climbed: September 21st 2023
Coordinates: 56° 32' 42'' N, 4° 13' 15'' W

Route Start & Finish: National Trust of Scotland Ben Lawers Car Park, Killin, FK21 8TY
Route Distance: 11.4 km (7.1 mile)
Route Elevation change: +/- 838m
Subsidiary tops on route: Beinn Ghlas
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Ben Lawers Trail
OS Trig Pillar: TP1281 - Ben Lawers
Pubs / Cafes on route: N/A
Map: Ben Lawers & Glen Lyon Map | Loch Tay, Killin & Kenmore | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL48
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir)
Links: Wikipedia: (Perthshire / Ben Lawers), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

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This was a day hike as a part of a 4-day Scottish County Top trip to bag Ben Lawers, Ben Vorlich, Ben Lomond and the Hill of Stake. First up was Ben Lawers, the 3rd highest UK Historic County Top and the highest of this particular trip.

After a flight from London and a 2 hour drive from Glasgow we arrived at the National Trust car park at the start of the trail. The Ben Lawers Trail is well marked and maintained making navigation very easy. We also had good visibility on the day, although the summit was wet and very windy. The trek to the summit passes over Beinn Ghlas, a 1103 m Munro, followed by a small descent before a steep climb to the Ben Lawers Trig Pillar.

For the return to the car park you can either retrace your steps over Beinn Ghlas or take an alternative path to the west from the col between the two peaks. This alternative route rejoins the main Ben Lawers Trail by a fence at 2.2 km from the car park.

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Glen Ogle Viaduct (official event photo)

The Rob Roy Challenge was a run/bike event along the Rob Roy Way between Drymen and Kenmore in Scotland. I completed it with a group of friends in 2012 as a new challenge, having done several London to Paris cycle rides together. I’m writing this 10 years later so my memory of the details is a little hazy. However, from the many photos that we took it seemed like we had a lot of fun on a very cloudy and drizzly day. So far it’s the only mixed run/cycle event that I’ve done although I’m keen to do more.

Note that my Garmin didn’t save the GPX track so I had to recreate the route on RideWithGPS. The actual distances and elevations may have been slightly different to what I have below.

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Section 1: The Run

Start: Drymen Road Cottage Car Park, 4 miles north of Drymen on the Rob Roy Way
Finish: Wheels Cycling Centre, Invertrossachs Road, Callander, FK17 8HW
Distance: 23.6 km (14.6 miles)
Elevation change: +338m / -363m (Net -25m)
Section finish time: 2 hours 55 minutes
Other routes touched (walk): Rob Roy Way, Mary Queen of Scots Way, Coilhallan Wood Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 7, EV1

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Section 2: The Cycle

Start: Wheels Cycling Centre, Invertrossachs Road, Callander, FK17 8HW
Finish: Field on the south side of Loch Tay, west of Kenmore
Distance: 64.4 km (40 miles)
Elevation change: +827m / -756m (Net -71m)
Section finish time: 5 hours 23 minutes
Other routes touched (walk): Rob Roy Way, Coilhallan Wood Trail, Great Trossachs Path, Three Saints Way
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 7, EV1

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Total Route

Date completed: 23rd June 2012
Distance: 88.5 km (55 miles)
Elevation change: + 1,201m / -1,156m (Net +45m)
Finish time: 8 hours 18 minutes
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Links: Rob Roy Way, Drymen, Aberfoyle, Callander, Balquhidder, Killin, Kenmore

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