Hiking Ben Nevis

Fort William, Scotland

Fort William is an outdoorsy town. Gear and outdoor clothing stores line the main street with cozy cafes and restaurants smattered in-between, offering wood-burning fires to warm your aching muscles after a long day’s hike. Everyone you encounter seems to be covered in some sort of waterproof, breathable, or lightweight gear. “Walking condoms”, as one not-so-eloquent Floridian man in our hostel declared. It’s not hard to see why there’s such an adventurous draw to Fort William. There are almost twenty munros in a 10km radius of the city.

A munro is a mountain in Scotland with a peak over 3000ft (914m). There are over 280 munros – most of which are in the northwest part of the country. The name comes from Sir Hugh Munro who, in 1891 wrote an article for the Scottish Mountaineering Club listing all the mountains in Scotland over 3000ft. ‘Munro-bagging’ is a term coined by hillwalkers/hikers who reach the summit of a munro. Becoming a munro-ist means you’ve climbed all 280+ munros in Scotland. Quite the feat!

A large number of folks who come to Fort William come for one reason: hiking Ben Nevis. As the highest mountain in Britain, hiking Ben Nevis is no small task. At 1345m above sea level, this hike is a full day commitment; with drastic weather changes on the summit throughout the year. Mac and I braved the less than ideal grey skies one late-September morning and set out to climb our first Munro.

Hiking Ben Nevis

Most hikers will start from the Ben Nevis Visitor’s Centre. If you’re without a car, it’s a good 30-40 minute walk from Fort William. The path to the summit starts uphill almost immediately after leaving the Visitor’s Centre. Because Ben Nevis is so popular amongst hikers, the trail to the summit is actually quite well-trodden. In fact, in May 1911 a Ford Model T was driven to the summit in a huge publicity stunt! (A bronze statue now sits in the town square to commemorate this event).

The clouds that followed us from Fort William did not let up during our ascent of Ben Nevis. After we reached the halfway point (marked by a shoe-soaking waterfall crossing), we were hiking in the clouds! The hills that surrounded the trail soon disappeared and we were left with no shelter from the relentless wind.

The clouds were so thick in spots, and the path so indiscernible from mountain rock, that we had to follow the cairns to not get lost! (A cairn is a rock pile/mound used as a landmark on a hilltop.)  After about three hours, we finally made it to the summit! The views were…cloudy. We could see for…metres! ha! We got a few photos at the top before quickly succumbing to the cold and wind.

On our way down the mountain we were fortunate enough to witness the clouds breaking. The views from the trail were breathtaking (although we’re not ashamed to admit that we wished the clouds had parted when we were on the summit!!!).

A long six hours after we first set out, we arrived back at the Visitor’s Centre. The benches and picnic tables there were perfect for stretching out our sore muscles. We were able to hitch a ride with a lovely Kiwi/Brit couple all the way to the nearby village of Glencoe. We spent the next few days here hibernating indoors from the relentless rain and wind.

Practical Information

Hiking Ben Nevis is a truly amazing experience. That being said, there are a few precautions to take before you set out on your climb.

Aim to take between 6-9 hours to hike Ben Nevis. Mac and I took a little under six hours, including snack & photo breaks. We were hustling pretty fast near the top to get out of the wind!

Speaking of the summit, the weather can change in an instant, so you should be prepared with lots of (waterproof & windproof) layers. If, when you get near the top and you are unable to see the next cairn (they are spaced 50m apart), don’t be tempted to soldier on. There are extremely steep cliff faces at the top, and one misstep could be dangerous. Wait for the clouds to clear before continuing.

Most hikers opt to take the common tourist path. The trail is well defined and easy to traverse. There is however, an alternate mountain route that is said to have better views (aka Carn Mor Dearg Arete). After you reach the lake about halfway up, you’ll notice a small path branching off to the left. This path will lead to the alternate mountain route. Be warned that you might need to use a bit of mountaineering skills as the path soon fades away. There is also some scampering up rocky terrain involved. We considered doing this alternate route, but the low & thick cloud cover convinced us otherwise. (If you do attempt the alternate route, you can come down the common tourist path after reaching the summit.)

Bonus Excursion to Glenfinnan Viaduct

If you find yourself wanting to have a go at hiking Ben Nevis, but dismayed by weather, don’t fear! Make a day trip to the Glenfinnan Viaduct! The viaduct is a 30 minute drive from Fort William towards Mallaig. Not sure what the significance of the viaduct is? Clearly you’re behind on your Harry Potter movies!! The Glenfinnan Viaduct is featured prominently in the 2nd HP movie when Harry and Ron follow the Hogwarts Express in their stolen flying car.

No wizardry was seen during our visit, but the views were impressive nonetheless. The cloudy skies made for a dramatic backdrop for this impressive architectural feat.

Tell me, would you ever consider hiking Ben Nevis? What’s your favourite Harry Potter movie?

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