It’s been 4 months since the whole Coronavirus pandemic led to confinement, lockdown and the UK population staying in or close to their houses. With a peak of 1,345m high, Ben Nevis is the highest and most iconic mountain in the UK. Considerable efforts go into maintaining and repairing the mountain track each year, often by volunteers working in some pretty tough conditions. In the relatively cold mountain environment, decomposition of such things takes much longer than might be expected, leaving nothing but an unsightly mess for those who follow. James Robertson was the first recorded person to climb Ben Nevis, and that was back in August 1771. The key word here is responsible, and we can all do our bit to help minimise our impact on Scotland’s wild places. Alpine in stature, imposing and elegant in appearance, the four great ridges of the Ben are superb experiences to climb. Runners First is a blog for the running community. If you are getting out of breath whilst talking, you are probably walking too fast! Further information relating to access rights and responsibilities can be found at https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/. The path is very well trodden, and apart from in very poor weather hard to miss. The rock climbing on Ben Nevis fits nicely into four categories: The Great Ridges. Not having proper waterproof clothing meant we quickly became soaked from the rough Scottish weather, started to shiver and worried we might be in serious trouble at the summit when conditions turned particularly bad. It is not quite halfway, but the path does become easier for a time here, providing some welcome respite for the legs. Ben Nevis with kids My friend and I are planning to climb Ben Nevis in August, along with our three children (aged 12, 13 and 15). Scotland is very fortunate to enjoy a right of responsible access to most land for non-motorised recreational purposes, including walking. This is a running blog, and here I am talking about climbing mountains. Enjoy. Get to the mountain as early as you possibly can for the climb. The summit lies approximately 150 m northeast of here, and is unmistakable with its raised trig point, emergency shelter, and remains of the weather observatory. Seriously. Thousands of people climb Ben Nevis every year and, like it or not, all those pairs of boots have an impact on the mountain environment – even yours and mine! In Scottish Gaelic, Beinn means mountain and Nibheis means malicious. I’ve just got back from climbing Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the UK. Whichever starting point is chosen, all lead on to the pony track which climbs steadily along the lower flanks of the hill Meall an t-Suidhe. 1), while close by, iconic mountains of the Mamores and Glen Coe dominate (Pic. After crossing a conveniently placed bridge, traversing a trail of steps and hopping over stones in the stream of a waterfall, you’ll come to a long zig zag section. Weather phenomena recorded in previous years in Ben Nevis ☃ Water Temperature in localities in Ben Nevis ☀ Weather forecast for Ben Nevis in September ☔. During the final 30 minutes of the descent, the rain picked up once more and we received another battering of Scottish rain before reaching the solace of the car. The initial excitement of crossing the metal bridge to the start, the challenge of hopping across the waterfall stream, navigating through the reduced visibility of the foggy summit and enduring the gruelling weather conditions were all highs and lows of my climb. The terrain is steep path throughout. In addition to these items, if you are part of a larger party, a group shelter, large enough to accommodate all members of the party, should be carried. Make sure you bring plenty of supplies to sustain yourself for the voyage. There’s a distillery at the foot of the mountain. My legs got the most tired in this section due to the steep incline and rocky conditions. My Experience Climbing Ben Nevis August 24, 2020 Runners First Thoughts 0. If you’re panting viciously, your legs are screaming in pain and each step is gruelling, you should probably slow down. It is strongly recommended that your first ascent of Ben Nevis be attempted during the summer months (approximately May to September). After a physically taxing 25 minutes climbing the last section, we arrived at the summit. Enjoy! Treat yourself after a great achievement in the hills with a good dinner and maybe even a wee drink :). Caeden Thomson, who has cerebral palsy, has raised more than £8,000 after trekking to the top of Ben Nevis … 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. Castle Ridge (Moderate) is the shortest at 270m and the easiest. Walking and Climbing Ben Nevis. Listen to how your body reacts to the steep ascent and adjust accordingly. How Long does it take to climb Ben Nevis? Published: Sep 30, 2020 5 min read, Emy MacLeod | More By This Author If you’re a runner whose in need of something different and fun to spice up you’re training regime, look no further than scaling a mountain. At first, we found the path easy, and steadily climbing we left the glen behind. It is worth bearing in mind that a covering of snow, particularly when accompanied by low cloud, can make route finding and navigation very challenging. That’s a long way. The long reach of Loch Linnhe stretches away to Mull and beyond in the southwest (Pic. When we almost encountered a brush with hypothermia due to being absolute idiots and not bringing our waterproof clothing, we were able to motivate each other to keep pushing ahead to warm up. The average low temperature on Ben Nevis in August is 2.8°C and the high is 6.4°C. My and my fiance and another lovley couple had checked the weather the day before and it was to be clear skies, hardly any cloud and temp to be about -11 at the top. Check out our complete guide to what to wear hiking in Scotland. The ascent raises your heart rate, pushes you to your physical limits, challenges your balance and agility, tones your leg muscles, burns plenty of calories and engages the upper arms and core. This can be broken down into phases, allowing 4 hours to get to the summit and a further 3 hours to walk down. Particularly important during busy periods of the climbing year like in summer when conditions are less treacherous. While the view from the top is nearly always hidden in clouds, the views from your journey up will astound you and will give you many opportunities to take stunning photos as you take a break from walking. Pic 6 – Lochain Meall an t-Suidhe, “the halfway lochain”. Being with my brother made the climb up Ben Nevis enjoyable because there was somebody else I knew going through the same struggles and emotions. Its proper name is in fact the pony track (Pic. This not only maintains morale, but it keeps group members together and avoids faster group members having to stop (and possibly get cold) whilst waiting for slower group members to catch up. My brother and I arrived at the Glen Nevis visitor centre at about 10:00 AM, paid for parking and headed towards the start of the Mountain Path. Wanting to briefly get away from thinking about what I can and can’t do in face of Coronavirus, I decided to go to the Scottish highlands for the challenge of climbing Ben Nevis in an effort to improve my running. Another early climb was undertaken by John Williams in 1774 and he provided the first account of the mountain’s geological structure. The bottom line is, please take your litter home! Reaching to the top feels good! If you are in this kind of mindset, you probably want to get on top of the UK and climb Ben Nevis. From here, the famous zig zags begin, with the path climbing steadily up the western flank of the mountain, right to the edge of the summit plateau at the top of the zig zags at a height of 1200 m. (Note the circular shelter and abrupt flattening). I love climbing mountains because: I know what you’re thinking. Despite the weather forecast looking bleak with rain, fog and wind on the horizon, things were holding up and we were dry. Also, upland soils are vulnerable to chemical changes caused by the decomposition of foreign items. The upper section is rough and stony, so vigilance is required when navigating the latter stages of the route. I needed an an adventure, yet a productive one. If you are on your own, carry a personal “survival bag”, a small First Aid kit, and a fully charged mobile phone. Weather in Ben Nevis in September 2020. Ascending and descending Ben Nevis is a journey filled with highs and lows. Friday 25th September was the day I decided to climb Ben Nevis for the first time! Please stick to the route of the path and don’t be tempted to take shortcuts. Boy, 7, climbs Ben Nevis after his parents were told he would never walk. This includes “biodegradable” waste such as bananas skins and apple cores. However, that’s not to say you need to do the same thing. The observatory was staffed full-time until 1904 when funding dried up. On the walkhighlands.co.uk website, here’s some quick stats about the Mountain Path route for ascending Ben Nevis. In 2019, a team of highliners crossed Gardyloo Gully (4,000ft up) on a piece of cable. Most hiking ascents of Ben Nevis start from either the Achintee Inn or theVisitor’s Centre, both in Glen Nevis. The mountain will always be there – the trick is to make sure you can come back should you wish to do so! The conditions were particularly treacherous at this point. – Take at least 2 litres of water with you! The mountain track can be accessed conveniently from three locations in Glen Nevis – either the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre (large pay and display car park, public toilets and information centre), the Ben Nevis Inn (limited free car parking, fabulous pub and bunkhouse accommodation), or the Glen Nevis Youth Hostel (very limited parking, excellent hostel accommodation). These give detailed information about expected conditions on the mountains as opposed to just a general forecast for conditions at sea level. My name's Craig and I run. As the halfway point, you should be getting here within 2 hours. I hate staying in one place for too long, and 4 months in my hometown of Maidstone in Kent has been too long. Pic 4 – The imposing peaks of the North Face in Spring. Additional items such as sunglasses and sun cream can be judged according to the weather forecast, and don’t forget any personal medication that you may require during the course of the day. Take your time climbing the mountain. Looking after yourself starts with good preparation. Continue Reading. Conditions will be very different between these two extremes, so flexibility is key. Ideally, climb some lower hills to get used to both being out in the mountains and the effects of several hours of continuous walking up- and downhill. Most importantly enjoy your time on the mountain and have a great day. Other than this, other essentials include food and drink, and a headlamp with spare batteries. The hike up using the tourist route is tedious and almost like climbing a very long … One day, he decided to climb to the top of Ben Nevis and wrote about it in his journal. As you can tell by the picture, we were happy to be standing on the highest natural point within the UK despite the wind, fog and rain! For maps, the Harvey Superwalker map “Ben Nevis” at 1:25,000 scale or the Harvey British Mountain Maps “Ben Nevis & Glen Coe” at 1:40,000 scale are highly recommended. Ben Nevis - is the tallest mountain in the UK at 4,409ft! Though we couldn’t see very far in front of us, on a clear day you can see for miles and miles around. Share on Social Media . Due to the lovely weather of the Scottish highlands, sunscreen wasn’t necessary for our climb. Ben Nevis 9th August 2014. A lot! Over 130,000 adventurers complete a journey to the summit of the Outdoor Capital at 1345m every year with a further 100,000 people taking a mini adventure part of the way up the mighty mountain. There are ruins of a meterorological survey on the summit, 6. This is crucial if attempting the mountain without a guide, but even if you are going with a guide, it does no harm to check the mountain weather forecast yourself so you have a good idea of what to expect on the day. The name of the mountain track itself provides interest in that many people refer to it as the tourist route. It aims to inspire, enable and educate runners. The highest mountain in the whole of the UK, it seems as if half of Scotland is spread before you when at the summit on a clear day – from the mountains of Skye in the northwest to the Cairngorms in the east. It is rare to get clear views from the top, and indeed the cloud had closed in. Choice of kit is very much influenced by the unpredictable nature of the weather, so the “layering system” is best applied to clothing, taking additional items to ensure your comfort and safety in varying conditions. The weather at Ben Nevis is notorious for suddenly changing at the drop of a hat so make sure you’re prepared. 7) is a very serious place, surrounded on almost all sides by very steep ground and cliffs. Enjoy. I loved scaling up rocky slopes, seeing sheep on the Scottish hills, motivating other runners to persevere, pushing my limits, experiencing different parts of the mountain. Not good. Aviemore I’m someone who loves travelling and exploring new places. Walk at a pace that you can maintain comfortably. The peak is part of the Grampian Mountain Range. You’ll thank yourself when the wind is hammering the rain into you and you’re able to stay dry. Being the absolute rookies we are, my brother and I purchased a range of waterproof clothing for the trip but forgot to pick up the bag that it was stored in from our home in Kent. Give it a try. Most people choose to start their climb by at least 9am. It is good practice to walk at the speed of the slowest member of the group. runnersfirst.co.uk is a participant in the Amazon  Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Bein Nibheis can also mean the famous Scott god Lugh, who was well known to have spent his time on tall mountains. There is a platform at the mountain’s summit which we quickly ascended with a fellow climber being kind enough to take our photo. If you want more information about all the other possible routes scaling Ben Nevis, check out this useful article article. A useful guide is to time how long it takes to walk to where the path crosses the Red Burn. Having looked on the Met Office’s website, we were primed to take on the wind and the rain. So make the most of those rest breaks, keep them brief but purposeful, and keep moving at a steady pace. 4). In June 2011 (just 8 months after I finished my treatment), my dad and I climbed Helvellyn (the third highest mountain in England). Mark and Scott are taking on the challenge to climb Ben Nevis, the highest peak in the United Kingdom on the 17th August. 75,279 were here. US: 1-866-740-3890 The mountain used to be an active volcano, until it erupted and collapsed on itself, millions of years ago. A. I have just come back from climbing Ben Nevis, it is not a tourist path it is a mountain path, at times very hard, especially the steps on the way back down, my total time was 7 hours, 4 hours to get up, my companion stained a muscle coming down so we took it very easy on the decent. If you’re going to climb Ben Nevis, make sure you have fun! By James Orpwood Please do not drop litter under any circumstances! This site is owned and operated by Craig Barden. Being approximately 4.5 miles on the popular mountain path each way, you will spend a lot of time on the mountain as you cover 9 miles. Temperature of water and air, precipitation, amount of days with rain and advice on the best time to visit Ben Nevis. Published: Apr 25, 2019More by James. “Hiker and Biker, James has summited Ben Nevis more times than you can count!”, More By This Author My brother and I treated the climb as training for our running so we powered ahead and were able to get it done in about 2.5 with only one small stop for water. Following a successful summit we were quick to head back the way we came and rapidly descend the mountain. The summit far overtops the surrounding hills. On the other hand, if your goal is to climb the mountain for training and you’re not feeling any bodily resistance from the climb you should probably speed up. At this point, you ascend a straight on the mountain top before changing direction and ascending the next straight in the opposite direction and so on until you arrive at the last section of the mountain which is characterised by the lunar landscape towards the summit. Ben Nevis what remains of a Devonian volcano which collapsed in on itself. Suncream – Yep, i’m not joking. The top of Ben Nevis is surprisingly flat and huge. In this article, I detail my experience and give top tips for making the most out of a Ben Nevis climb. ! Having just returned from Scotland after the Ben Nevis trip, I can confidently say that climbing Ben Nevis was the most fun I have had in months. Highland Around 7 hours is a realistic target time to climb from Glen Nevis to the summit and return. To this day, the ruins of the observatory can be viewed upon reaching the summet. The remains of the observatory are still visible today. Our biggest learning experience from climbing Ben Nevis is to bring waterproof clothing. Ben Nevis via Mountain Path, August Climbing this mountain was the highlight of my trip to Scotland in late summer (early August). If the time it takes you to get here is much longer than this, consider the implications on the likely time taken to get to the summit and return safely. I knew I needed a big change from my new daily life of working from home, seeing friends digitally, running and studying. After forgetting our waterproof coats (rookie mistake, I know) the wind started battering our rain soaked skin and we began shivering pretty bad. It had been a difficult and slippery task going up and it was quickly dawning on us all that if you add downward momentum to ice, snow and rocks it adds a different dimension to the next 3 hours or so! An early start means you can take your time without worrying about the day turning to night during the climb, and you’ll be able to find a parking space. It’ll make it a more fun climb. On a clear day you can see Northern Ireland up to 120 miles away, 5. Firstly, your personal fitness is important, and the best preparation for climbing mountains is to climb mountains! This is the hill visible from the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre, often mistaken for Ben Nevis itself! Such a strange time. As the foggy, cloudy and rainy conditions made it hard to see more than 5 metres in front, we were careful to stick to the path and not stray off course. Published: Dec 10, 2020, Meike van Krimpen | More By This Author 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. The two lying side-by-side is evidence the huge volcano collapsed in on itself creating an explosion. Thirdly, look after yourself whilst on the hill by taking regular breaks to eat and drink, adjust clothing layers etc. August 23, 2014. In 2018, BASE jumper Tim Howell jumped off of Ben Nevis which was covered by BBC Scotland. After a 30 minute journey we managed to… I often say to clients that you don’t need to be fast to climb Ben Nevis, but you do need to be efficient. Let's face it, it's a very busy mountain with all the problems that causes. In the event that you require external assistance in an emergency, you should call 999 or 112 and ask for Police, Mountain Rescue. “Be bold, start cold” is a good rule of thumb as you will generate heat whilst walking uphill. When the infamous Scottish weather of rain and cloud subsides, those who reach the summet enjoy a beautiful panoramic view from the moutain’s peak. It’s the highest mountain in the British Isles. Ben Nevis is really called Beinn Nibheis, 2. Sweating (getting wet) can cause problems higher up when the temperature drops, so starting cool helps prevent this. However, it’s always worth bringing a bottle just in case the sun decides to make a guest appearance. His entry read: ‘I ascended Ben Nevis which is reckoned the highest mountain in Britain. Some emergency kit should be carried in case you or a member of your party suffers an injury which, in the worst case scenario, may immobilise you. Anything you take up the mountain should come down with you. The Harvey maps recommended above include an enlargement of the summit of Ben Nevis, along with the bad visibility descent route – i.e. Weather Forecasting in Scotland – Top Picks, Why Hike in Scotland at Different Times of Year. Pic 6 – Lochain Meall an t-Suidhe, “the halfway lochain”. [email protected], Wilderness Scotland Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. ... I’m not here to badger you readers for money but instead telling you why I am climbing Ben Nevis at night. Small Motivational Running Investment T-Shirt, Large Motivational Running Investment T-Shirt, Applying David Goggin’s Top 10 Rules to Running, What I Learnt From Running EVERYDAY For Two Years, Don’t Train With Runners That Are Worse Than You, Average moving pace: 30:11 minutes per mile. What an incredible, eventful, briefly frightening and life changing experience. Mobile phone coverage on Ben Nevis is generally good. As the path starts to climb the mountain, the views become more and more beautiful. The last thing you want is to be stuck 1,300 metres above sea level with the sun beating down on you with no means of protecting your skin. August 3, 2020. by Guillaume Borde. It was an incredibly fun experience like no other and I’d recommend it to anyone. Many people find walking down as tiring as going up, so be honest with yourself and the rest of your party, and make sure you have enough “left in the tank” to complete your journey without assistance. Seriously. It’s August 2020. The impressive and imposing cliffs of the North Face are famous amongst climbers worldwide (Pic. A Silva Expedition 4 compass is recommended for mountain navigation. There’s a perfectly good reason for this. BritRail Passes for Overseas Visitors If you’re planning on travelling around England and Scotland then the best option is to buy the BritRail GB Pass. Ben Nevis (Scottish Gaelic: Beinn Nibheis, pronounced [peˈɲivəʃ]; English: / b ɛ n ˈ n ɛ v ɪ s /) is the highest mountain in the British Isles, situated in Inverness-shire in the Highlands of Scotland.The summit is 1,345 metres (4,413 ft) above sea level. Ben Nevis attracts walkers and climbers from around the world, and with good reason. We crossed the metal bridge over the river Nevis and started to climb the conveniently provided rock steps for 10-15 minutes. After the initial steepness, the path does even out to a more moderate slog. Though we were able to handle the situation by spending only 5 minutes on the summit gently jogging down the first half during the descent, it could have been a lot worse. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall Book Summary. However, for a walking route suitable for a first Ben Nevis ascent the mountain track is the route of choice. Copyright © 2021 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, It will teach you a lot about persistence and strategy, 1. This lochain is known as “the halfway lochain” (Pic. The Ben Nevis walk lets you know what you are in for from the beginning. CLIMB BEN NEVIS . After an initial steep incline on these steps, the path gradually evens out and becomes a steady ascent through comfortable trail. The last thing nobody told us about climbing Ben Nevis was… that it's even harder coming down!!! It was a busy day for climbing so my brother and I found we were overtaking many others during this stage as we like to go at a decent pace. 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