We’ll guide you through them one by one. When I think of Scotland, I tend to think of haggis, Edinburgh and Ben Nevis. Here are five essentials you need to put in your backpack when hiking Ben Nevis: First Aid Kit – at least a basic one with some blister plasters. The maps we’ve embedded are only a rough outline too. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. This used to be known at the Tourist Track by pretty much everyone, but that kind of implied an easy dawdle along a tarmaced track in your flipflops. Get weekly inspiration, positive stories, exclusive community You cannot go back down the mountain the way you came. Distance to the Top: 6.5 km (4 miles)Ascent: 1300m (4275ft)Rough Time to the Top: 4 hoursFlavour: Wholesome. – Take at least 2 litres of water with you! It takes around 4 hours to climb to the top, and 3 hours to get down afterward. Hi there, that's hard for me to answer as the only time I've climbed it has been in August. The Novice Walker should not attempt to walk up Ben Nevis between November and May, or during bad or cloudy weather. The experience in each of the seasons will be quite different ! Most of the ice has melted by this point, the weather is calmer and you have much better visibility. Spring, summer and autumn months are the best times to climb Ben Nevis as long as you are fully prepared for the weather conditions. Ben Nevis via the Ledge Route. There are loads of climbing routes that top out on this cliff, so little paths might not always lead you in the direction you’re hoping! If you lose your bearings on the summit, head from the trig to the stone pillar and head left along the edge of the gully. I emailed the hotel I was staying at (The Lime Tree) and asked for a recommendation.. Distance to the Top: 9km (5.5 miles)Ascent: 1390m (4550ft)Rough Time to the Top: 4.5 hours at leastFlavour: Spicy. How to Stay Safe in the UK’s Winter Mountains, Scrambling in the UK | A Quick Adventure Guide, How to See the Northern Lights in Iceland | A Guide, 14 Adventures to Fuel Your New Year's Resolutions, Dust off the Wanderlust: 11 New Adventures for 2021. It’s the best preparation in England for Ben Nevis, so if it’s your local mountain you’ve got an ideal practice ground ahead of climbing Ben Nevis. The highest mountain in the UK is Ben Nevis, in Scotland, clocking in at 1345m above sea level. It has a summit of 1,345 metres (4,413 ft) above sea level. There are two hiking routes up to the summit of Ben Nevis: the Mountain Track (also known as the Tourist Track or Pony Track) which is the most popular and best for non-professional climbers, and Carn Mor, the harder route for more experienced climbers. The CMD arete is a narrow, rocky ridge that curves down from Carn Mor Dearg and then up to Ben Nevis. You could start your walk from the other end of that path, if you preferred. Spend the weekend in the Grampian Mountains. This is what this article is about: helping you to choose a route, plan your trip, and reach the summit of Ben … All the time you’re still plodding relentlessly uphill. It be ok though it will challenge you. Although it is only a Grade 1 scramble, the ridgeline is very exposed. In July, 8am is a good time - 7am is better. September is possibly the best time to do Ben Nevis. LOTS of water! > Check out our full guide to the best hiking in Scotland. Not to be confused with the next peak along, Carn Mor Dearg, which gives our scramble route its name. Just after a small bridge, the path turns sharply into the valley containing the Red Burn, climbing more steeply to Lochain Meall an t-Suidhe. Your scramble route tops out on Carn Dearg (meaning “Red Cairn” in Gaellic). But it’s very easy to stray into ground that’s much more difficult than Grade 1, if you’re not sure of the precise route. The main route up the UK’s highest peak is long, dull and monotonous. You will have incredible views of the north face of Ben Nevis the whole way. After I sent him an email the owner Connor actually rang me and asked if I knew what I was getting into. Now for the scramble ridge itself. An alternative would be to descend down the Mountain Path until the lochan. Plus, the Ledge Route is considered a one way route by almost everyone. From the CIC Hut, head up through the boulders towards the infamous Number Five Gully. The path becomes narrower and more rocky here. Finally, the path approaches the plateau – you’re still going uphill, but by comparison it’s flat! The winter ascentincreases in difficulty. For routes up Ben Nevis see h100 Ben Nevis via The Tourist Path from Achintee, Fort William At this point, you can choose to go off-piste and up the broad nose of Carn Beag Dearg, then along the peaks to the start of the CMD scramble. One for a nice day! Climbing Ben Nevis when there is snow on the ground or the weather is less than ideal is an entirely different ball game and you should allow up to 8 hours (or more) for the ascent. You’ll soon reach the prominent path. It stands at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area. Climbing Ben Nevis is relatively easy if you take the tourist footpath in summer. Good luck. On a clear day, you can enjoy views across the whole of the Scottish Highlands. You can learn winter skills and summit Ben Nevis or check out our UK hiking holidays for other peaks to climb and trails to hike. Ready to reach Ben Nevis? Going between June-September will severely reduce your risk of extreme weather conditions. However, if you’re interested in winter mountains, check out How to Stay Safe in the UK’s Winter Mountains or better still sign up to Climb Ben Nevis in Winter. The perfect time to enjoy the spectacular views from the peak! Ben Nevis is located in the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William. Climb Ben Nevis Weekend. By far the most common route up Ben Nevis is the Mountain Track. Almost sounds poetic doesn’t it? At this point, there is a right hand turn that takes you on a good path back down to the North Face carpark. The mountain is located at the western wide of the Grampian Mountain range in Scottish Highlands. This is the hill visible from the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre, often mistaken for Ben Nevis itself! Head up to where the contouring path from Achintee House meets the one you’re on. Get quick answers from Ben Nevis staff and past visitors. You might also like Scrambling in the UK | A Quick Adventure Guide. And the winter ascents, during November to April. September is possibly the best time to do Ben Nevis. Bare in mind the weather wind rain snow etc is a different world up there, especially when you get it wrong. To return, you could reverse your route and scramble all the way back again along the CMD. You should be ok if the weather's good. I am thinking of doing it middle of September with my son who is 10. The scrambling of the Ledge Route is Grade 1 in summer, significantly easier than everything else around it. We reckon Shakespeare would probably get away with it. Furthermore, in November the days are pretty short - much shorter in Scotland than they are in London - so it unlikely you will be able to complete the walk in daylight - so take a good torch and get some practice walking in the hills in the dark. However, it’s easy to accidentally find yourself in the middle of a rock climbing route if you don’t know where you’re going. And it's a long slog, about 5-6 hours. So factor this in when planning your trip. Alternatively, you can continue below Carn Beag Dearg until a boggy path cuts off left. Take the right kit, don't do it in plimsolls like I did, I'm sure you will be fine. The Ledge Route is the least well trodden of these three routes up Ben Nevis. Startearly. Skip to two minutes in the video for the start of the scramble and to 4:58 for the kind of route finding problems you’ll be facing. The route up Ben Nevis is longer than the Mountain Path and can be made into a long horseshoe shaped walk if you want. Again it’s worth taking a bearing. Also be aware that it is a strenuous climb and decent (we thought that the decent was tougher on the legs), ensure that you've got a "tough" 10 year old! Height Gained – 1300 metres, Distance – 8 km, Time –4-5 hours – ONE WAY ONLY. Ben Nevis Walk Time. For really low visibility, ensure you know how to take a bearing with your map and compass. Distance to the Top: 9km (5.5 miles) Ascent: 1280m (4200ft) Rough … We are expecting to start climbing to The summit at 2pm, will We be able to come back till dark... where is the best place to start the walk after parking the car is it ben nevis inn. With nearly 120 years of climbing history, ground breaking routes and legendary stories of bravery on the cliffs throughout, the mountain is steeped in history. At this junction, head right and continue curving round and ever up the hill in front of you. When we got to the top the weather was atrocious and I got quite cold so we put up an emergency shelter. Ben Nevis from Glen Nevis. We also had a v experienced climbing group, fully equipped for any weather. There is a good balance between weather and congestion (yes the mountain can get busy). Carry on up the gully and then round the swooping bend in the path. Ben Nevis has several different trails that can be taken, each trail will have a different completion time. Don’t cross, but instead follow the river uphill along its eastern bank on a decent path. Skip to about 3:35 in the video to get a feel for it! I have climbed as early as Feb and as late as Oct and would say Sept is the best month. The normal time taken to climb to the top by the tourist path is three and a half to five hours - coming down is much faster, between one and a half to two and a half hours. Your best route of descent is probably back the way you came. You should have a view out over the lochan (which is essentially a Scottish tarn) to your left as the path curves round the top of the gully and back on the ascent up Ben Nevis. From here you have several options of descent. Ben Nevis Training Guide: Part 4 – Nutrition We started our climb at 9 am. A big day out, but one you’ll certainly remember. It’s been estimated that over 150,000 people climb Ben Nevis every year, and most people take the recommended Tourist Path (also known as the Ben Nevis Mountain Track or Pony Track) and climb between the months of May and October. You really need local knowledge based on the forecast at the time. A glen is essentially a valley with a river running down it, so funnily enough the River Nevis runs below Ben Nevis. You will see Carn Beag Dearg rising up on your left and the CMD in the distance ahead, leading up to Ben Nevis. Keep going, crossing little streams dropping from the slopes above, until the path stops at the CIC Hut. You’ll cross some little streams and then be treated to a series of zig-zags: there are nine in total and you will probably count them. The path is wide, well made and clearly marked with wooden signposts down here. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. Again, start at the North Face Car Park near Torlundy. So I would say if the weather is good and there is little or no snow. Zoom in to see updated info. invites and other weird and wonderful stuff. Suncream – Yep, i’m not joking. The average time taken to climb Ben Nevis is 7-9 hours, with the climb to the top taking around 4 hours, and the return 3 hours. At first, we found the path easy, and steadily climbing we left the glen behind. We’ve assumed summer (aka not snow!) Ben Nevis is significantly taller than the tallest mountain in England, Scafell Pike at 978m, and the tallest mountain in Wales, Snowdon at 1085m. Thousands of people climb the UK’s highest mountain every year on a number of different routes. If you want something a little more hands on and exciting than the Mountain Path, then the Carn Mor Dearg Arete might be the route for you. Even in summer, Ben Nevis can be very cold, wet, windy and covered in snow; and remember, it will get colder and windier the higher you climb. From ice climbing and winter walking on Ben Nevis, rock climbing in Glen Nevis, skiing at Nevis Range, mountain biking in the woods, hillwalking in Glencoe, sea kayaking on the west coast and river kayaking, we can do it all at this time of year in Lochaber, the Outdoor Capital of the UK. The CMD ridge itself is a grade one scramble in the summer. Ken Crocket and Simon Richardson's book Ben Nevisis an excellent and inspiring chronicle of the highlights of these many adventures through the ages as the sport, culture, standards and approaches to climbing have evolved. As I was travelling solo I decided to find a guide to help me in climbing Ben Nevis – thank goodness. The first ascent of the Ben's first recorded route, … I have climbed as early as Feb and as late as Oct and would say Sept is the best month. It’s the same grade of scrambling as the CMD Arete and is technically a more direct route to the summit from the North Face. Ben Nevis is the tallest mountain in both Scotland and the British Isles. Now, as with all of our route guides, remember these are just that: guides. The same cairns that guided you to the peak of Ben Nevis will assist you on the wa… Map updates are paused. From the North Face car park, head out of the forest along tracks heading roughly south. Is this a good time of year to do it? Here’s the dangerous bit in poor weather: it’s very easy to wander off the edge of a cliff to your right. How long it takes to climb Ben Nevis really depends on how fit you are and how many breaks you take but a rough guide is it will take you around 3½ - 4½ hours to climb it via the Mountain Track in summer under reasonable weather conditions. They came back with Atlas Mountaineering. It was a fantastic experience to attempt Ben Nevis, and whilst we didn't quite make the peak we are all very satisfied that we gave it our very best effort. Arrive the night before you attempt to complete the Climb Ben Nevis Challenge, and relax knowing that you won’t have far to go after the challenge is done. The 1-day summer ascent can be done from June to August. Or indeed Carn Mor Dearg (yes, that’s “Big Red Cairn”). Or during bad or cloudy weather go back the way you came ll guide you through them one one. 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