Ben Lui facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ben Lui (Beinn Laoigh) |
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Coire Gaothaich on the northern side of Beinn Laoigh
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,130 m (3,710 ft) |
| Prominence | 875 m (2,871 ft) Ranked 15th in British Isles |
| Parent peak | Ben More |
| Listing | Munro, Marilyn |
| Naming | |
| English translation | Hill of the calf |
| Language of name | Gaelic |
| Geography | |
| Location | Stirling council area / Argyll and Bute, Scotland |
| Parent range | Grampian Mountains |
| OS grid | NN266263 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 50 |
Ben Lui is a tall mountain in the southern Scottish Highlands of Scotland. Its name comes from Gaelic and means "Hill of the calf." This mountain is at the very top of Glen Fyne.
Ben Lui is famous for its five clear ridges that spread out from its peak. Between these ridges, there are four large, bowl-shaped valleys called corries. One of these is Coire Gaothaich, found on the northeast side of the mountain.
Ben Lui is the highest and most well-known of a group of four special mountains called Munros. These mountains are located south of Glen Lochy, about 10 kilometers north of Loch Lomond. The other three peaks in this group are Beinn a' Chleibh, Ben Oss, and Beinn Dubhchraig.
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What Makes Ben Lui Special?
Ben Lui and the mountains around it used to be a National Nature Reserve. This means the area is protected because it has unique plants and wildlife.
Unique Plants and Rocks
The cliffs and rocky areas on Ben Lui are often very damp. The soil here is also less acidic than usual. This creates a perfect home for many mountain plants to grow. You can see lots of different types of saxifrages, mosses, and lichens. These plants are quite rare and beautiful.
Source of a Great River
A small lake, called a lochan, on the slopes of Ben Lui is very important. It has been identified as the source of Scotland's longest river, the River Tay. This river flows all the way across Scotland to the sea.
Exploring Ben Lui
There are different ways to climb Ben Lui, and each offers a unique adventure.
The Shortest Way Up
The easiest and shortest way to climb Ben Lui starts from Glen Lochy. You begin near where a small burn called Eas Daimh flows into the Lochy. A path leads you through a wooded area. Then, you follow the northwest ridge straight to the top. This climb is just over 3 kilometers long.
If you want to make your trip longer, you can visit Beinn a’ Chleibh on your way down. This mountain is about 2 kilometers to the southwest.
The Eastern Route and Coire Gaothaich
Another way to climb Ben Lui is from the east. This path lets you see the mountain's most famous feature: the rocky, circular valley called Coire Gaothaich.
You can start this route from either Tyndrum Lower railway station or Dalrigh in Strath Fillan. Paths from both places join up and follow Glen Cononish to the base of Ben Lui. From there, the route goes up the mountain's northern ridge, called Stob Garbh, to the summit. This path is about 9 kilometers long.
Winter Climbing Challenges
This eastern route can be very tricky in winter, even as late as April. The last part of the climb is often extremely icy. It can also be very hard to find your way through the rocky cliffs around the top edge of Coire Gaothaich if the weather makes it hard to see.
Combining Peaks
Many experienced hillwalkers like to climb more than one mountain in a day. If you go down Ben Lui using the southeast ridge, you can choose to include Ben Oss in your trip. You might even add Beinn Dubhcraig too. If you can arrange transport, a fit hillwalker can climb all four Munros in the Ben Lui group in one day.
