Ben Nevis (all day and a bit longer if you don't take care)

[MAP] Note: Get a real map. Do not rely on this one. It is intended to give you only a rough idea.

     I include this walk in my list with some misgivings for it is not one of my favourites. Everyone but everyone, however, seems to think that an ascent of our highest mountain is a must. Well ... if you must you must.
     The PICTURE illustrates another reason for my reservations about including Nevis in my walks - Ben Nevis is a very dangerous mountain. The path goes up relatively easy ground, but if you stray (as you might in bad weather) the cliffs on the north side await.
     There are two starting points. In both cases you start from Glen Nevis. The first is a car park about a mile below the hostel (ie you will reach it before you reach the hostel). The other is at the hostel itself. In both cases there is a stout bridge to help you across the river. Unless you are staying at the hostel, you'd be better advised to take the first route. Cross the river and follow the path. And that's about it, except to say that the path goes on for a very long way. When you have done the trip and are on your way down (and getting near the car park) you will be amused by the bedraggled people in sandals, shorts and tee-shirts limping up the path and asking you "Are we nearly there?". Tell them the truth.
     The ascent is long and weary, on a path which is continously good and a continuous gradient. It zig-zags at the steepest bits. You will lose count of the zig and zags. Sidney Allard once famously drove one of his motor cars to the summit (1930s I think) as a publicity stunt. We are not told how many men he had with him to heave it up the harder bits. The route comes in two three stages. The first takes you slantingly up the flank of Glen Nevis with (just a few zigs). That brings you to a flat place which joins the mountain on to one of its lesser foothills. That saddle is the halfway point (and you thought you were nearly there didn't you?). The second half zig-zags up the upper slopes which resemble a slag heap. Ben Nevis has one of the most spectacular rock cliffs in the country. But that's on the North face. You are on the South and South-west face and it is about as dreary a slope as you're likely to find. In the mist it has treadmill qualities. For the third and final stage, the slope eases off. You have gained nearly all of the height by that time but you still have to cross the wilderness of boulders that is the summit plateaux. The path is still well marked as a band of pale yellow stones in the midst of grey ones. Follow it to the summit which is marked by the low ruined walls of the old observatory, by several cairns, and by a large concrete survey cairn on top of a stone one. Last time I was there, there was also a small emergency hut about the size and shape of a dog kennel. That was some years ago. No doubt things have changed a bit.
     One thing will not have changed, however, and that is the difficulty you will find getting down again if the visibility is bad and the path is covered by snow (which it usually is in winter). In your mind's eye you have a model of "The Ben" as a great round Christmas pudding with one half cut away to form the North face cliffs. That's an over simplification and a dangerous one if you take it literally. The slice out of the North face is not clean and simple, It has a number of sub-cuts which form separate corries and these at their deepest parts sneak into the broad plateaux in unexpected ways, just when you thought you could walk safely along the plateaux parallel to the cliffs - you can't (well actually you can but you won't live to tell the tale if you do). There are also a few lesser slices cut out of the Southern side as well. The truth is, there isn't a single straight line which will take you from the summit to safety. I could give you directions but I don't want it on my conscience if anything goes wrong. In good weather it's a doddle. In bad weather you need a compass. And a map. Take bearings from the map BEFORE you get lost. Count your steps to measure how far you've walked. The rocks on Nevis are not magnetic so you can believe the compass implicitly unless you are carrying large amounts of iron on your person. Carry something windproof even if it is warm when you set out. Carry food and drink. Wear strong shoes or boots. And beware the Red Gully which the path crosses shortly after the flat saddle place and runs beside for a distance on the upper slopes. In descent the gully looks tempting. Shallow, filled with easy snow perhaps - a simple slide down to save your weary legs. DON'T DO IT. The gully will turn to ice and shoot you, with flailing arms and legs, over the waterfalls which are lower down. If in doubt, hire a guide.

NOTE: If the weather is kind you will get wonderful views from the top. There are other ways up The Ben which are a lot more interesting but these are for the seasoned hillwalker.

NOTE2: I've marked the Carn Mor Dearg Arete on my sketch map because it is a beautiful ridge walk and the sight of it from the summit may tempt someone to try it. Beware. On the map you will see a red cross. That is the nearest bit of it which is visible from the summit. What you can't see are the huge cliffs which lie between your position and that tempting ridge. Remember this too, The slope leading to the arete faces SE and gets a lot of sun. It can also hold a lot of snow late in the year by which time it will have turned to ice.

PHOTOGRAPHS taken during an ascent on 19th April 2001 (to prove that the ben is open despite the foot and mouth emergency)