Having thoroughly enjoyed our first taste of the Ben Lawers area with visits to Creag an Lochain and Meall nan Tarmachan, it was time for the main event: a proper ascent of Ben Lawers itself. At 1,214 metres, it is the highest mountain in the Southern Highlands and, more importantly for us, one of Britain’s most celebrated botanical sites.

Our route took us over Beinn Ghlas before continuing along the ridge to the summit of Ben Lawers, with plenty of diversions along the way to explore the rocky ledges, flushed slopes and, most excitingly, the famous ‘Hanging Gardens’. After the botanical riches of our first day, expectations were rather high, and thankfully, the mountain did not disappoint.

Beinn Ghlas

Our route began properly with Beinn Ghlas, a 1,103-metre Munro forming part of the Ben Lawers Range. Its Gaelic name translates roughly as ‘grey-green mountain’, a reference to the distinctive mica-schist that makes up much of the mountain and spills down its south-western slopes as extensive scree.

Although technically a separate summit, Beinn Ghlas forms the first major high point on the popular route towards Ben Lawers, and it was here that our botanical adventure really began in earnest. As we ascended, a thick layer of fog quickly obscured the trail ahead of us.

As we reached the top of Beinn Ghlas, several familiar alpine species were present in abundance, including Alpine Lady’s-mantle Alchemilla alpina and Viviparous Fescue Festuca vivipara, although both had been enjoyed the previous day.

Continuing along the ridge, it wasn’t long before some new species began to emerge. The most conspicuous were carpets of Dwarf Cudweed Gnaphalium supinum, its distinctive silvery foliage standing out against the surrounding vegetation. Alpine Mouse-ear Cerastium alpinum was equally eye-catching, thanks to its wonderfully hairy leaves, while Dwarf Willow Salix herbacea proved plentiful along the trail.

Beside the track, a large boulder supported a small population of Starry Saxifrage Micranthes stellaris, providing another welcome addition to the list.

Further along, on the high but remarkably level section of trail between the two mountains, we encountered two particularly interesting spots. First, a small accumulation of water, which, alongside various other Carex species, held some lovely examples of Russet Sedge Carex saxatilis, a species that clearly likes to keep its feet wet.

Nearby, an area of boulders provided a perfect opportunity for some pteridological rummaging and, finally, a chance to see a species I’d wanted to lay eyes on for some time: Alpine Lady-fern Athyrium distentifolium. Unlike the familiar Lady-fern, it has rounded rather than comma-shaped sori, making it pleasingly distinctive. Here, it grew alongside Northern Buckler-fern Dryopteris expansa and some fine specimens of Fir Clubmoss Huperzia selago.

Some careful shuffling towards a nearby overhang yielded further treasures in the form of Alpine Meadow-rue Thalictrum alpinum and, much to our surprise, a few lingering flowers of Purple Saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia.

Yellow Saxifrage Saxifraga aizoides was also abundant here, alongside a few lovely clumps of Moss Campion Silene acaulis. The damper patches came up trumps too, supporting an appealing double-act of Two-flowered Rush Juncus biglumis and Three-flowered Rush Juncus triglumis.

Ben Lawers

Having clambered over Beinn Ghlas, the time had come for the main event. After lunch, we began a relaxed climb up Ben Lawers itself, aiming for the famous ‘Hanging Gardens’ I’d read so much about, including in this excellent blog by John Richards. It is safe to say that, despite our late visit in the season, I still had high hopes for what we might find. By this point, however, the fog had closed in once again, making any hopes of a decent view rather futile.

Reaching the crag in question, we began a very slow walk along its base, casting our eyes upwards over rocky ledges draped in alpine plants. There wasn’t much in the way of colour, which was perhaps a bad sign. However, plenty of the expected species were still present, including Roseroot Rhodiola rosea, Mossy Saxifrage Saxifraga hypnoides and more Moss Campion and Alpine Mouse-ear, including a particularly nice plant still in flower.

Some glorious examples of Holly-fern Polystichum lonchitis were also scattered across the crags, looking remarkably at home among the rocks.

The first really exciting plant came shortly afterwards, when a splash of vivid blue caught our attention: a lingering patch of Alpine Forget-me-not Myosotis alpestris, still nicely in bloom. For me, this was one of the must-see plants of the trip, so you can imagine the smile it put on my face.

Nearby, the small, tri-pinnate leaves of Sibbaldia Sibbaldia procumbens were another welcome find.

A small mountain stream in the area came up trumps too, supporting flowering Mountain Scurvygrass Cochlearia micacea, Scottish Pearlwort Sagina × normaniana and plenty of other lovely plants.

At this point, the fog had lifted, and we decided to make the final push for the summit of Ben Lawers, optimistic that we might find some of the truly special plants that grow only on or around the summit. Spoiler: we didn’t find Snow Pearlwort Sagina nivalis or Drooping Saxifrage Saxifraga cernua. Never mind, what we did see was more than enough.

Among the boulders, some glorious cushions of Cyphel Cherleria sedoides were a particular highlight, growing alongside Alpine Clubmoss Diphasiastrum alpinum and Alpine Meadow-grass Poa alpina. Stiff Sedge Carex bigelowii was abundant, while Dwarf Cudweed proved even more plentiful than it had been on Beinn Ghlas.

Spending a rather long time at the summit, and with a fair amount of it spent peeking beneath boulders, we eventually turned up a particularly special plant: Alpine Saxifrage Micranthes nivalis. Another new one for this lowland botanist.

This species is typically found in damp, shaded conditions, often tucked into periodically irrigated crevices and narrow, mossy ledges on calcareous mica-schist crags. Exactly the sort of habitat that makes peering into every nook and cranny feel worthwhile!

Plenty of other lovely plants were spotted along the way before we eventually began our descent, taking an alternative and somewhat easier trail back down the mountain.

Having made our way back to the base of Beinn Ghlas and, eventually, down along the Edramucky Burn, all that remained was a final moment to appreciate the fabulous montane woodland regeneration I mentioned in my previous post.

A fitting end to what had been a thoroughly long weekend of botanising.