Читать книгу Not the West Highland Way. Diversions over mountains, smaller hills or high passes for 8 of the WH Way's 9 stages онлайн

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The ascent is on a wide, smooth path from the inland edge of the car park. Already by the 1860s this path was large enough to be marked on Ordnance Survey maps, and by the 1940s was an eroded eyesore – but has now been well rebuilt along a single line. The plantations that hemmed in the path have recently been clear-felled, so the views over Loch Lomond to the Lowlands are outstanding right from the start.

The path leaves the plantations at a gate, bends right onto the wide southern ridge, and goes up through another gate. Only at the final half-mile does the ground become mountainous, along a steep-sided and mildly rocky ridge.

From Ben Lomond summit trig point are views ahead of several dozen more large mountains including, on a clear day, Ben Nevis looking – from 71km (44 miles) away – depressingly distant.

The northeast ridge descends directly behind the trig point. The small gravelly path zigzags down among small rocky outcrops. The top section is as steep as any, so if conditions are too harsh you find that out straight away.