Ben Nevis Visitor Centre to Ben Nevis 20 March 2009.

Ben Nevis Visitor Centre to Ben Nevis and Return
Distance 17km Climb 1352m
Friday 20 March 2009

What a brilliant day from start to finish.  There was a slight frost on the tent when I got up.  It was very cold and for the first time this week I thought about putting my gloves on, but within a few minutes the sun was up.

I started walking about 08.45 from the Glen Nevis Campsite, which was only a few meters from the Nevis Centre where I crossed the bridge at about 09.00.  I was then starting up the world famous Ben Nevis. This had been an ambition of mine for a few years now and today I was going to achieve that goal.

Ben Nevis early morning from the campsite

The bridge at the Ben Nevis Centre

The path up

Only two people passed me on the way up, both fell runners, wearing nothing more than running shorts and vests.  I was wearing a battered pair of old army boots, track suit bottoms, my thick warm smelly walking coat and a stick. With a back pack carrying hot drinks and a spare top. In my pockets I had a hat and gloves.

When I reached the snow line I somehow missed the path.  The snow was not the soft easy stuff to walk on, it was ice and hard, difficult to walk on and things could have turned naughty.  I moved from rocky place to rocky place over slippery ice.  If it hadn't been for one of the runners coming down the route I was on I would have turned back.  He must have slide a good 20 - 30 foot down the hard solid ice in his skimpy running shorts and vest, he had ice cuts on his legs and side.  When I asked if he was all right he just jumped up gave his head a shake said "och ey" and started running back down again. Amazing.

On the snow I was certain I could hear voices to my right but could not see anyone.  Was I starting to hallucinate? I moved up the slope where the snow was a lot easier to get a grip on but at times I would slide down a little, by this time I had taken the rubber off my walking stick and was using the spike.  On one small slide down I saw the route marker stone, and so headed for that. I had not moved too far from the path.  Following the marker stones I soon arrived at the top and it was like a coach trip had arrived.  There were climbers with ice axes and crampons.  A large group of people were sitting around the spot height, they had all the gear, must be professional walkers.  I was surprised to find out they had set off before me as it had taken them 4 hours 20 minutes.  It took me 3 hours 20 minutes, perhaps these were the peoples whose voices I had heard?

At the top I opened my birthday cards.  "BRILLIANT ABSOLUTELY BLOODY BRILLIANT, BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER"  sitting here opening my cards with this view.  I had a drink of chocolate (although half of it I had been spilt in my bag).  I rang Anne and I rang my brother who I told I was in Barcelona.

The group of walkers left me, I had 20 minutes of peaceful quiet, enjoying the silence and solitude in the sun, reflecting on my walk before I too headed down.  I caught up with the group just as we came off the snow. They were resting and so I passed them.  I travelled an hour before I had a rest expecting the group to pass me, I never saw them.

I came down in 2 hours 15 minutes. On reaching the bottom I had a slow walk into Fort William to buy my train tickets back to Milngavie, where I had left the car, and found somewhere to have something to eat.  After a couple of shandys I walked back to the Glen Nevis Campsite feeling tired.

I had walked 17km with 1352m climb.

Tomorrow I would be travelling home.

More to follow


Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Scotland or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to previous - Day 6 of WHW Kinlochleven to Fort William
Follow link to another walk up Ben Nevis 17 Nov 2011
Follow link to another walk up Ben Nevis as part of the 3 Peaks Challenge