Chasing the Flower Moon on Ben Lawers

This article is republished with the kind permission of Alan Rowan of Munro Moonwalker. All photographs are credited to Alan Rowan.

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Another moon mission, another sensational sunrise. And another big sigh of relief.

Pardon me for sounding like the ground control team at NASA, but the countdown to these full moon walks is proving a nervous one. This is Scotland after all, and no matter how good the forecast for the mountains, there’s always the chance it can fail to live up to expectations.

While it’s preferable to have good conditions, I’ve got enough experience to get the head down and get on with it whatever the weather. I don’t feel quite so confident when I have company. Then I feel a responsibility to provide the full mountain experience, and a guilt if it proves a disappointment. I know it’s not my fault, but I can’t help feeling that somehow it is. I dragged you up here with promises of great things and all you get is a colder, wetter version of the non-view you had below.

So even with a perfect forecast for the arrival of full moon No.6 of the year, I still had internal grumblings as I prepared to meet the team from BBC Scotland’s Landward.

The Flower Moon and Ben Lawers

This was the Flower Moon, and we were heading for Ben Lawers, the tenth highest Munro and the highest point of the chain of seven big mountains above Loch Tay. It seemed a fitting match — the Ben Lawers national nature reserve contains the most celebrated collection of rare mountain plants in Britain and is a magnet for botanists from all over. All we needed was a perfect night.

It looked promising as I headed along the loch with the sun going down in an explosion of pastel pinks and oranges, the fall-out washing over the water. A couple of hours later and the moon was in full control. The Flower Moon is said to be the brightest of the year and this one was trying hard to live up to that reputation.

At this time of year there is almost perpetual light and the jagged silhouette of the skyline to our north was a hint that we wouldn’t have to wait too long for a new dawn.

Setting Off by Moonlight

A short moonlight scene-setter in the car park with presenter Dougie Vipond and then five of us were off on the boardwalks and stone steps of the restored track heading for the black ridge ahead.

The walk up to Ben Lawers goes over another Munro, Beinn Ghlas, and takes just over two and a half hours. When you are with a film crew though, that time is stretched. We had something like four hours to reach the Lawers summit for the sunrise at 4.38am. It isn’t like ScotRail — the sun would be up bang on time and we had to make sure we didn’t miss the moment.

We had a couple of filming stops before Beinn Ghlas, then one shortly after on the ridge, with the morning glow on the horizon behind Ben Lawers and the pulsing moon still dominating the skies behind us.

The Flower Moon is said to be the brightest of the year and this one was trying hard to live up to that reputation. At this time of year there is almost perpetual light.

The Forgotten Munro

Poor Beinn Ghlas. It is one of those hills that suffers from being in such close proximity to a mightier neighbour. It would be easy to stroll past its summit without thinking. Even the cairn has that can’t-be-bothered look, a small jumble of stones which spills down the side of the hill, yet in another place it would be a significant mountain, one of the higher Munros. Location really is everything.

Our latest filming stop had shrunk our remaining time dramatically. How long to the summit? Forty minutes. How long do we have? Forty minutes.

The slight chill we had felt at the last stop was burned off immediately on the non-stop push up the steep final slope. We arrived at the top with five minutes to spare, everyone having built up a good sweat.

Racing the Sunrise

Dougie and I took our positions at the cairn. Then we caught the first glimpse of the burning red crown on the horizon and watched as the sun came up fast, changing from red to deep gold to yellow to brilliant white, every stunning second caught on film.

The beauty of such a simple event is immeasurable, and it’s always fascinating to watch the reactions of those around you during this transformation.

Dougie couldn’t drag his eyes away. Cameraman David was in his element, changing position to catch every possibility. Kirsty and Susan were torn between their production duties and snatching every glimpse of the light show they could.

My over-riding emotion this time, however, was one of relief. We had managed to catch a perfect moon and a perfect sunrise.

The beauty of such a simple event is immeasurable, and it’s always fascinating to watch the reactions of those around you during this transformation.

About the Munro Moonwalker Project

Alan Rowan’s Munro Moonwalker project is a unique blend of mountaineering and photography. Each month, Alan ascends a different Scottish Munro under a full moon, capturing the journey from dusk to dawn. The project has taken him to some of Scotland’s most remote and dramatic peaks, producing a remarkable body of photographic work.

The Ben Lawers expedition was filmed as part of BBC Scotland’s Landward programme, showcasing the mountain’s flora, geology, and the extraordinary experience of watching sunrise from above the clouds. The footage has since been viewed by thousands and helped introduce the Munro Moonwalker project to a wider audience. Watch the full segment below.

You can follow Alan’s adventures, buy prints of his mountain photography, and read more of his writing at munromoonwalker.com.

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Planning Your Own Ben Lawers Night Walk

If Alan’s account has inspired you to attempt your own moonlit ascent, here are the practical details you’ll need.

Route and Timing

The standard route starts from the Ben Lawers car park on the mountain road between Loch Tay and Glen Lyon (grid ref NN 608 378). The NTS car park has space for around 30 cars and charges a small fee. The path is well-maintained with boardwalks over the boggy sections. Allow 2.5–3 hours for the ascent via Beinn Ghlas, plus 1.5–2 hours for the descent. For a sunrise walk, check sunset and sunrise times carefully and work backwards from your target summit time.

Safety Considerations

Night walking on Scottish mountains requires solid navigation skills, a reliable head torch (plus spare batteries), and an awareness that conditions can change rapidly. The Ben Lawers ridge is exposed and the weather can be very different from what you experienced at the car park. Always carry full waterproofs, warm layers, food, and water. Tell someone your planned route and expected return time. In winter, ice axes and crampons may be needed on the upper slopes.

Best Conditions

Full moon nights with a clear forecast are ideal. Check the Met Office mountain weather forecast for the Southern Highlands. In summer, the nights are short and the temperatures relatively mild — June is the best month for combining a full moon with a sunrise walk, as you’ll have near-perpetual twilight to guide your way. The weeks around the summer solstice offer the shortest darkness window.

Photography Tips

For moonlit landscapes, you’ll need a tripod and a camera capable of long exposures. ISO 1600–3200 with a wide aperture (f/2.8 or wider) and 15–30 second exposures will capture the moonlit terrain beautifully. For sunrise, be ready to switch to faster shutter speeds as the light comes up quickly. A 24-70mm or similar mid-range zoom is the most versatile lens. Don’t forget spare batteries — cold nights drain them fast.

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Alan Rowan’s Munro Moonwalker project chronicles full-moon ascents of Scotland’s Munros. His book and ongoing blog feature stunning photography and compelling writing from Scotland’s wildest places. Follow his adventures at munromoonwalker.com.