Stay at home

[Avocetboy]

I had a meeting arranged for 12.00 noon in Kirkcaldy and another the following morning in Motherwell. Quickly began to realise that, weather dependent, another opportunity was being presented to climb another Hill. A quick look at the map and I decided that if I booked a hotel in Stirling, this would be an ideal base to drive up to the Ben Lawers car park and tackle Meall Nam Tarmachan. Having read a few reports, I was confident I coud do this within 3 hours.

Set off from Lincolnshire at 5.00am and arrived in Kirkcaldy bang on 12.00 for my meeting. This concluded at 2.30 and I checked in at Hotel at 3.30, got changed and set off towards Killin at 3.45. Weather was sunny, with a few showers about, but as I drove over the top near Glen Ogle to descend down towards Killin, I could see all the Lawers Hills bathed in sunshine. As this was to be my first solo munro, this was just what I needed.

Parked up at and was on my way at 5.00pm. The route up was great, a good path, steady gradient and a nice steep bit just before the summit. It took me exactly one hour to reach the summit. It was freezing on top. I toyed with the idea of walking the ridge to Meall Garbh, but with dirty looking rain clouds all round, I decided that having achieved my goal, I should bail out and enjoy the walk down. Decision was the right one as ten minutes later having descended the steep section, the tops were engulfed in cloud.

I arrived back at the car at 7.00pm, two hours after setting off feeling pretty chuffed with myself

A few pictures from a memorable two hours

[Alteknacker]

Looks like a very appealing hill. Your account reminded me of what I used to do when I was working on Anglesey - allowing similar early evening walks/fell runs into Snowdonia. Glad you timed the weather window correctly

But it's a really strange coincidence that you should publish today: I was studying photos of this area last night to see if what looked like an obvious straight-up, straight-down from the dam had any peculiarities! I'd thought of just yomping up more or less on a continuation of the line of the dam. (I'm planning to do BnT as part of a longer circuit in the area.)

Did you park in the car park below the dam?

You mention that there is a pretty straightforward path - is this right from the start? I ask because I don't see anything on the WH GPS maps at any scale...???

[Avocetboy]

Looks like a very appealing hill. Your account reminded me of what I used to do when I was working on Anglesey - allowing similar early evening walks/fell runs into Snowdonia. Glad you timed the weather window correctly

But it's a really strange coincidence that you should publish today: I was studying photos of this area last night to see if what looked like an obvious straight-up, straight-down from the dam had any peculiarities! I'd thought of just yomping up more or less on a continuation of the line of the dam. (I'm planning to do BnT as part of a longer circuit in the area.)

Did you park in the car park below the dam?

You mention that there is a pretty straightforward path - is this right from the start? I ask because I don't see anything on the WH GPS maps at any scale...???

Hi

Parked in Lawers car park before the damn and basically followed the sign. Excellent path all the way to the summit

It's a great hill for little effort with the option of doing the ridge if you have the time. Enjoy.

[ancancha]

A good choice, I remember having a really enjoyable day up there

[katyhills]

Nice pix
Would definitely recommend doing the whole ridge - it's a great walk with tremendous views.

Car parking has changed since I walked it, as the Lawers Visitor Centre no longer exists. Main car park is on the opposite side. I think I did it from the little parking area further along though. I was lucky enough to see a Capercaillie too.

[BoyVertiginous]

Congrats on first solo, mate. Mine was on the same hill.

PS keep posting your "work" schedule and you'll get rumbled

[BoyVertiginous]

Looks like a very appealing hill. Your account reminded me of what I used to do when I was working on Anglesey - allowing similar early evening walks/fell runs into Snowdonia. Glad you timed the weather window correctly

But it's a really strange coincidence that you should publish today: I was studying photos of this area last night to see if what looked like an obvious straight-up, straight-down from the dam had any peculiarities! I'd thought of just yomping up more or less on a continuation of the line of the dam. (I'm planning to do BnT as part of a longer circuit in the area.)

Did you park in the car park below the dam?

You mention that there is a pretty straightforward path - is this right from the start? I ask because I don't see anything on the WH GPS maps at any scale...???

Not sure about a route up from the dam but the route from the North end of the dam looks good. If you can fit that and the ridge into your plan, you'll not be disappointed.

[BlackPanther]

Tarmachan Ridge in green looks very inviting, so different from the frozen white world I experienced up there... Looking at your 3rd picture, I remember that final, steep section to the summit was covered in ice and it really tested my crampons/ice axe abilities.
I must go back and walk the ridge again sometime.

[jmarkb]

I'm sure a straight-up route from the dam, keeping left of the crags would go OK. You could always join the normal route from the last little col if the direct line looks too steep.

For an alternative to the normal round, I can recommend a circuit from the north, starting from a parking spot near a shed about 1km beyond the highest point of the road, going up the N ridge of Beinn nan Eachan and coming back from the main summit over Creag an Lochain.