26 replies to this topic

[marksmini]

On Tuesday 12 (this week) Me my wife and my two boxer dogs went about climbing Ben Nevis after some time planning this trip it was great to finally start the climb.
most people can climb Ben in about 7-9 hours up and down.
we done it in 9 1/2 hours, but in our defense my wife had a fall/ slip about 3 miles from the summit. she’s was ok but this badly bruised her hip slowing us right down.

The climb was very hard from the set off. its easy ish to follow the correct route in the summer but wouldn’t like to do it in the deep winter months when everything is covered in snow.

The route is mainly boulders and rocks. At what they call the half way point is a nice big Lock on the mountain. But once your up near the top of the mountain (before going into the clouds) the lock looks like a tiny puddle on the floor. At the foot of the mountain there was a caravan site, and from the top this looks like a tiny white spot on the ground. it was about 15c on the ground and we walked it manly in t shirt up to about 700 meters. Then the winds picked up to between 5 and 25 miles an hour. And at about 1000 meters high is where the clouds started (on this day) the temp was just below freezing up at the top. Very very cold with the wind chill. couldn’t see more than 5 foot steps in front of you due to the cloud cover but would get a good idea of what was at the top. Taken loads of pics but cant get them onto the computer at the mo, as this isn’t my computer. Will upload once im back home end of the weekend.
The hardest part of the climb wasn’t going up (or though that was every step and hard going too) it was the coming down. Some parts is like walking on ball bearings. The stone path just moves all over the place and when your walking on a angle of at times 40 degrees this wasn’t to good.

the views was great and im looking at climbing it again next year but this time spend more time on the north face where the bulk of the cliff faces are and the crevasses etc.

3 day on from the climb and my legs are still in pain when walking. It taken one day to pass before I could walk properly again. My legs felt the brunt of the walk.
Will get pics up when im back home

If you want to know more, here are some facts about Ben


(it says here they took a car up to the top of ben back in 1911) flip!
www.mountainwalk.co.uk/bennevisfacts

Edited by marksmini, 15 August 2008 - 10:01 AM.

[captainjack15]

My Dad has done that.

I'm glad that your Mrs is Ok, and congratulations on doing it though!

[marksmini]

its a must

Here is a very good climbing weather report site for ben nevis, (we used this alot leading upto the climb day) click where it says CLICK HERE in the middle of the screen.

Edited by marksmini, 15 August 2008 - 10:13 AM.

[Ethel]

The tourist path is becoming very dodgy in places, particularly by the side of the small waterfall on the Red Burn. Resist the temptation to follow the burn down and stick to the zigzags if descending. the other side of the hill is much more interesting. Though I've never attempted it in summer, there is a path that comes up from Corrie Leis on to the Col on the Carn Dearg Ridge. Doing the whole ridge is also a good day in good weather. All that fine scree is much easier going if it's frozen solid 'n you're wearing crampons

Where did you stay?

Edited by Ethel, 15 August 2008 - 10:28 AM.

[marksmini]

i know what you mean about the water fall!

we stayed at the bottom in fort william in a B&B called bramar bed and breakfast.
sound like you might have done this acouple of times? haveyou climbed the north ridge?

[whiskymac]

We did Ben nevis a few weeks back as part of doing the three peaks challenge. We took a bit long on it unfortunatly think we were 7 or 8 hours when it needed doing in 6 really - never mind!

Nice walk/climb and some stunning views, that loch halfway up looked great...when the cloud cleared long enough to see it. Cold at the top mind and couldnt see one foot in front of the other, gonna give it another try next year though

[Bigfoot]

A LOCK?

These English... where's the 'bazooka' smiley?

Good climb though, no? I've only been partway up when I was wee, need to go do it properly some time. Oh, and somebody unearthed a piano on the summit a year or two back. Some nutcase carried it up and buried it

[marksmini]

lol loch.... could i get away with typing error lol

Dundee is where im currently sat, at my mother inlaws HoUse. from hee we made it to fort william in just under 2.30 hours.

[Ethel]

i know what you mean about the water fall!

we stayed at the bottom in fort william in a B&B called bramar bed and breakfast.
sound like you might have done this acouple of times? haveyou climbed the north ridge?

I've done a few winter routes out of Corrie na Ciste - nothing too adventurous. Been going up for years, but gave up on camping in winter a bit back. The Bunk House in Fort William isn't bad, we use the Blackwater in Kinlochleven quite a lot, probably more suitable for a group of scruffy lads, but a little bit nearer if you're driving up from the south and well situated for Glen Coe too. Stob Ban is a really good alternative to the Ben, a bit of a shorter day and often manages to keep it's head out of the clouds when the big 'un is misty.



Looking towards Ben Nevis from Stob Ban

Edited by Ethel, 15 August 2008 - 10:31 PM.

[marksmini]

what a great picture, i reconise bits of the route i taken on that pic.

[Ethel]

The "Dark side" of the Ben...



Looking up from somewhere near the CIC. Hut

[jordie 08]

there is a chairlift up half way and the mountain bike track down it,im going on that,looks great fun and deadly

[Ethel]

The chair lift is on Anoch Mor, the hill next door (in the background on my first piccy). The bike track looks absolutely lethal!

[Bigfoot]

Nevis Ranges? That's where they hold the downhilling World Cup when it comes to Scotland. I think. Some of the stuff there's mental, we 'accidentally' strayed onto one of the championship runs once, it was just mild, swoopy singletrack, but woah! Apart from anything else, it's one steep piece of hillside.

[marksmini]

when we was climbing down there was 2 bikes being carried up the path. they looked very nice bikes but i have no idea where they planned on riding too? it was hard enough walking on the bit we was on. nutters. unless they were out to find the cycle track and got abit lost lol