Ben Lawers
Ben Lawers (Scottish Gaelic: Beinn Labhair) is the highest mountain in the Breadalbane region of the Scottish Highlands. It lies north of Loch Tay and is the highest peak of the 'Ben Lawers group', a ridge that includes six other Munros: Beinn Ghlas, Meall Garbh, Meall Corranaich, An Stùc, Meall Greigh and Meall a' Choire Leith. It is also the highest peak in Perthshire, and the tenth highest Munro in Scotland. Ben Lawers was long thought to be over 4,000 feet (1,219.2 metres) in height; accurate measurement in the 1870s showed it to be 3,983 feet (1,214 m).
| Ben Lawers | |
|---|---|
| Beinn Labhair | |
Ben Lawers seen from Beinn Ghlas | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,214 m (3,983 ft) |
| Prominence | c. 915 m Ranked 11th in British Isles |
| Parent peak | Ben Nevis |
| Listing | Munro, Marilyn, Council top (Perth and Kinross), County top (Perthshire) |
| Coordinates | 56°32′44″N 4°13′15″W |
| Naming | |
| English translation | mountain of the loud stream |
| Pronunciation | Scottish Gaelic: [peɲ ˈl̪ˠavɪɾʲ] |
| Geography | |
| Location | Perth and Kinross, Scotland |
| Parent range | Grampian Mountains |
| OS grid | NN636414 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 51 |
Ben Lawers lies on the watershed between the rivers Tay and Lyon. Since the 1950s, water has been captured from the numerous burns on the south face of Ben Lawers and Meall nan Tarmachan as part of the Breadalbane Hydro-Electric Scheme. The water is diverted to the Lochan na Lairige, from where it is piped to drive hydro-electric turbines at Finlarig on the banks of Loch Tay. The level of the Lochan na Lairige was raised by the construction of the 344-metre-long Lawers Dam, a buttress-type dam that is 42 m high.
Due to its high elevation and underlying geology Ben Lawers is home to an exceptionally rich selection of arctic-alpine plant species and habitats, and has been designated as a National Nature Reserve (NNR) since 1964.