A restored path on Ben Lomond is helping hillwalkers climb Scotland's most southerly 'Munro'.

The upgraded route will make it easier for walkers to reach the summit to admire panoramic views of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.

The Ben has been included in upgrading work on nearly 21,425km of paths, which takes in other summits, including Ben Ledi, Ben A’an and Ben Venue.

The work was necessary because the large numbers of visitors, coupled with the Scottish weather, left mountain paths scarred and damaged.

The project, "The Mountains and The People", is led by the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland and supported by both of Scotland’s National Park Authorities, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland and Heritage Lottery Fund.

The trust said: "With over 30,000 visitors per year, Ben Lomond is one of the most popular Munros in Scotland, rewarding those who make it to the top with fantastic views of Loch Lomond and beyond.

"With such large numbers of people walking the 12km to its 3,000ft summit, the trail had suffered over the years.

"The National Trust for Scotland had worked extensively over the years on the path on their land, and so one of the first priorities was to upgrade the lower route from the car park on Forestry Commission Scotland land.

"Now described as a ‘well defined path’, if you fancy experiencing the Ben Lomond experience head to Rowardennan car park half way up the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, don your responsible hiking gear and enjoy your unhindered walk to the summit."

Park chief Simon Jones said: “The iconic mountains of the National Park attract people from all over the world as well as many walkers from closer to home.

"With their stunning views and opportunity to get out and enjoy nature, its easy to see why. But the volume of people walking these paths does have an impact on their condition.

The Mountains and The People is a fantastic project and the improvements made to these popular routes will mean that people can enjoy them for many years to come.”