Ben Lomond (from Rowardennan to Inversnaid)

[Lunco]

My mom and I will be doing the West Highland Way next week and we've been thinking of going up Ben Lomond from Rowardennan down to Inversnaid (as the regular West Highland Way would takes us).

It seems like the path from Rowardennan should be easy to navigate, but I'm worried about the trek down to Inversnaid.

I've found this description on trosachs co uk (forum won't let me post links):

For those who start from Inversnaid the path to Ben Lomond goes along the East shore to the South until Cailness cottage where you climb up the Culness Burn. Walking this route leads you through forests and therefore it will take some time until you have views down to the Loch.

Is this marked with signs in any way? Anyone have experience going this way?

[rockhopper]

Afraid I can't help as I've only been on the standard and/or ptarmigan routes. Links below may help a bit ?

WR1

WR2

[Lunco]

Thanks for links, the second one is pretty much exactly what I was looking for.

[StevieC]

I've never done it, but I'm 100% certain there are no waymarkers on the route from Ben Lomond to Inversnaid, at least until you re-join the West Highland Way

[tomsnowball]

It would make a long and tricky day, navigating N over trackless hill and bog to the track in Glen Goaithe then E to Cailness. The E side of Loch Lomond is very steep, wooded and cut with numerous very nasty gullies- don't attempt a shortcut! After making it through that you still have a fair old tricky and tiresome walk to Inversnaid from Cailness.

The WHW north of Rowardennan, as far as the N end of the loch, is a tricky enough walk as is- probably the hardest part of the whole WHW, and gets rougher as you go N.

Add an extra half day or full day onto your trip to take in Ben Lomond, ascend and descend from/to Rowardennan via the tourist route or Ptarmigan.

[campervan]

We did this some moons ago now. 1996 the weekend of the Scottish Hillrunners prizegiving in October. Thanks for jogging the memory.
Anyway, we went from Inversnaid up and over the Ben to Rowardennan. I recall a fair slog over a heathery ridge to gain the north aspect of the Ben.
I agree with others, a descent off the north side of the Ben may be tricky in winter conditions, as forecast for next week.

[Lunco]

We are very experienced, live near the Alps, so we hike a lot. We'll only attempt it, if the weather is decent, don't worry.
The forecast seems quite promising for Tuesday, although snow is forecast on Monday evening/night. We'll have trekking poles.

Looking at the map, the NE slope is indeed very steep, so I was thinking of following the regular path down to the bend and walking the less steep ridge towards Cruinn a' Bheinn (and I see the GPS track goes exactly that way). Bought the maps on Viewranger, so that should help in bad visibility.

I'll update you, if we do take the detour!

[Lunco]

Glad to report that it was a beautiful day today so we did the path. Down from the bend in Ptarmigan way it was really boggy all the way. There's also a fence quite soon after you leave the path, but it's easy to climb over (I think it's for reforestation). You have to climb it again below Cruinn a' Bhein. We didn't go to the peak, because it was a long day already. You just loosely follow the river until you hit a road that takes you down to the Loch. The whole thing took us 8 hours and 40 min. You can see the GPS trail on my Strava account (Lunco). Can't post links yet.