Ben Lomond 1929

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:58 am

Hi All
I have found a photo of Ben Lomond with my parents supposedly standing on top at 3,192 feet, written on the back of it is Official Opening of Indicator - 1.4.1929. I wonder if there is someone out in TS that could help, the people in the photo are dressed warmly, but the ladies have on dress shoes...it does look like it is really windy by the way the clothes are clinging...my querie is that as April would be winter/autum and the date being April Fools day...could my Dad just have been kidding...or did the indicator really open on that date. I will try to upload the photo to the gallery.

See http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... ?pos=-1145 url added dww

DavidWW · Post by **DavidWW** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:09 am

What confuses me for a start is "indicator"

, - is that meant to refer to an OS marker, or, memory fails me, is there a marker up there which shows sightlines to other tops?

There's nothing in the photo that would lead me to say "That can't be the summit of Ben Lomond!".

I've been up Ben Lomond in February, and needed sun tan cream.

I've been 500 feet from the summit in late May and had to turn back because of blizzard conditions developing, - we were all properly equipped, - no worry there, - but visibility was getting dangerously low, and there's a short knife edge section just down from the summit when approaching from the South that is not recommended in such conditions..............

But dress shoes

, but then I suppose that ladies might well carry a pair to the summit just for the purposes of the photie.

It's not just the ladies footwear, - heels

, it's also that 3 at least of the men are in suits, - at least all the ladies appear to be wearing coats.

But then, I've seen folk up there in sannies and T-shirts in March on a sunny Sunday, and, after all, there has been for decades a very good path all the way up, although I certainly wouldn't fancy the couple of rock scrambles involved lower down in 3in heels

David

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:12 am

A few points
a. It's usually always windy and/or chilly up on the Ben regardless of the season
b. April is spring, and it can often be nice weather here [ yesterday for instance it was over 10C here and lovely and sunny]
c. it's an easy climb/walk so the ladies' dress shoes would be practical, possibly the only ones they had!
d. the 1st of April 1929 would have been Easter Monday - a holiday in much of Scotland - a perfect day to climb the ben and roll your eggs on te lower slopes.

Don't malign your dear Father!

Post by **AndrewP** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:17 am

Hi Margaret,

I have been to the top of Ben Lomond about that time of year, a few years back (not as far back as 1929). The top of the mountain was snow covered and about freezing point. I question if there will be snow on it by 1st April this year.

All the best,

AndrewP

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:33 am

Hello David , Wilma and Andrew
What quick response...oh Wilma I would never malign my darling Dad.

..it was just that my cousin from Glasgow questioned the photo..so thought I would see what others thought. I also use the excuse for living on the other side of the world confusing spring and autum

thank you for your wonderful thoughts...I can now rest in peace knowing that the photo is real....and yes David maybe the ladies did carry a spare pair of shoes...

grannysrock · Post by **grannysrock** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:16 pm

On www.scran.ac.uk , there is a photograph of the indicator apparently being built on a snowtopped Ben Lomond and the accompanying text says:

View indicator on Ben Lomond
This is the view indicator that was donated by the Daily Record newspaper to the general public in a ceremony on the 2nd of April 1929. Almost two thousand people climbed to the summit to witness the formal handing over of the indicator.

The view indicator was build with the help of ramblers who would take note of which hills they could see when they had visited the summit. When the view indicator was out in place the equipment had to be carried up by packhorse.

The Scotsman covered other opening ceremonies for indicators around this time - but I couldn't see any articles for the Ben Lomond one, but then it was donated by the competition...

You learn something new everyday on TS

Sally

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:12 am

Hello Sally
What a Gem you are, TS is just such a great place only yesterday I asked the question now I have the full answer. I guess my Dad mixed up his dates. Once again many thanks