Find out more about phone apps and GPS devices here. The summit of Ben Nevis is on the edge of the cliffs, and there are steep gullies on either side of the route down, therefore it is absolutely essential that you know and are able to follow the correct directions to safely gain the lower slopes. From the summit cairn, walk for metres on a bearing of degrees , which will take you safely past Gardyloo Gully on your right. Then follow a bearing of degrees , which will take you down to the zig-zags on the mountain track, avoiding Five Finger Gully with its deceivingly gentle upper slopes but which has been scene of many accidents.
Once you have reached the zig-zags, if there is snow about you must still be careful to avoid drifting into the Red Burn area, which is a known avalanche danger area. If you are unsure about how to follow these directions you can refer to our navigation pages for more information.
Simple high energy foods are best e. There is no cafe or shop at the summit, so take everything you need for the whole day. A minimum of two litres of fluid per person is recommended. Ben Nevis is famous for being Britain's highest mountain, but notorious for being Britain's highest rubbish dump. That includes items like banana skins, apple cores and other organic materials.
You might think they'll break down quickly, but they take a lot longer than you think because of the conditions up there and upset the ecology on the plateau. If you are lost or injured and unable to get yourself off the hill, dial or and ask for Police and then ask for Mountain Rescue. Highland Council has a dedicated ranger base right at the foot of the main mountain track in Glen Nevis, with toilets and car parking facilities. Staff at the ranger base can provide you with all the latest information regarding conditions on the mountain tel Further information can be viewed at Ben Nevis' own website.
For walkers the alternative to the Mountain Track is the Carn Mor Dearg Arete, commonly known as the CMD Arete, a long narrow ridge requiring scrambling, a head for heights and good navigational skills.
Sofa 2 Summit is a new online program from Mountaineering Scotland to help you get the most out of hiking in the hills this spring and summer. It's for anyone new to hiking who wants to explore Scotland's hills and mountains, as well as people who want to learn a bit more or take a refresher after a break from hill walking.
Climbing to the top of Ben Nevis is a fantastic achievement — stamina and determination are a must on this challenging trek, but the stunning views of the highlands will be with you from start to finish and will provide a fantastic backdrop to this popular UK trekking challenge!
Are you interested in taking part in our Ben Nevis Trek? Join us on this weekend adventure and trek to the highest point in the UK! We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By clicking Accept or continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. For more information, click Find out More. Would you like to receive our newsletter?
Our pace was leisurely and, if we weren't stopping to take photos and have breakfast on the way up, or faced with snow and really poor visibility for the summit stretch, then we could easily have shaved an hour off that. Total time will be affected by your personal abilities, number of breaks, and conditions, but the most important thing is about safely enjoying the walk and the experience at your own pace - not knackering yourself on the way up.
A paper version of the route is always good to have and can be picked up in Fort William. However, we know many of you will be using your phones. We can recommend the following for the Ben Nevis Mountain Path hike:. AllTrails A great website and app for hikers and walkers all over the world, you can access all the necessary route directions and maps with an internet connection; you do however need to be a paid Pro member to store them offline.
Find the Ben Nevis Mountain Path route here. Google Maps is often a good option for a hike, but the Ben Nevis marked trail is not as precise as it should be and may lead to issues in sections. There are several pay points but only the one nearest to the visitor centre takes contactless card payments, otherwise you need to bring exact change not notes - change won't be given.
If the contactless doesn't work, then you can pop into the visitor centre to pay, but that's obviously an issue if arriving before opening hours. From here, you're a one minute walk to the start point here: simply make your way toward the visitor centre and follow the signs left for Ben Nevis. It will take you across a short bridge over the river, then between two fields with the Ben Nevis Inn on your left, and finally over a sty on to the main path.
It's pretty straightforward from there, but we've shared free route maps below for you to have downloaded in advance. At the end of your hike, you can access the free public toilets at the Visitor Centre, pop in for a drink or snack, or buy a souvenir. Or you can also stop at the Ben Nevis Inn for a celebratory pint, dram, or some food. If you choose to base yourself in Glen Nevis, rather than Fort William , then you will have free parking with your accommodation.
This is for experienced hikers only due to the scrambling involved and potential conditions faced. We did not go this way due to the conditions and our preference to save it for a future hike with no snow at the summit, so we will defer and refer you to two great resources with more specific advice and trail information - however, please ensure you read the final section of this post too.
Whichever season or time of year you're planning to hike Ben Nevis, and whatever your level of experience, it is imperative that you understand the weather conditions 1, metres above Fort William are not the same as down by your accommodation. It may be feel like summer has come early where you wake up in the morning, whilst the top of the mountain will feel like winter will never leave.
Further, the weather conditions here can change dramatically from hour to hour, day to day, and glen to glen. You may begin and end, as we did, with blue skies but as you scale the cloud cover shifts and thickens to obscure the trail, rain showers or gales may pass by, and then it all may disappear again before returning an hour later. A cloud-covered summit and top third generally is not a rare thing at all here.
It is essential you check the specific weather and mountain forecast for Ben Nevis hours in advance, so you can plan or change plans accordingly. Those three factors will make or break your Ben Nevis experience. Personally, we can't think of anything worse than 8 or 9 hours hiking in dreich Scottish weather with soggy feet, no views, no shelter, and the wind howling and swirling around me.
The important point though is that walking Ben Nevis will not just be unenjoyable and unsafe if weather conditions are poor - it will be damn right foolish. There are two websites we personally recommend you use to get this type of forecast in an accurate and easy to understand way:. Forecasts are generally posted at pm for the next three days, with updates being made whenever necessary.
The forecast for Ben Nevis is included within the West Highlands section here. Mountain Forecast Less descriptive than the above, but contains all the necessary information to understand conditions. Find the Ben Nevis forecast here. If really struggling or the weather is worsening dramatically, just turn around. Download the WhatThreeWords app to give your location quickly and easily to rescue services in the event of serious injury. Always dress or pack expecting a shift in temperatures and rain to arrive.
If you are currently in the Highlands and don't have some essential clothing or kit with you, then you can find various outdoors shops in Fort William. Hiking boots or hiking trainers These should be worn in properly before being used to hike Ben Nevis. If it's perfect summer conditions, you could get away with decent sports trainers but we don't recommend it. Note that 'waterproof' is very different to 'water resistant' If very sunny, bright conditions are predicted, then a hat and sunglasses are necessary.
Exactly how many layers you need, or what type, will depend on the conditions in which you're hiking Ben Nevis, what you have, and your own preferences. If it's not so cold, like when we hiked in May, then simply a t-shirt, thick shirts, and a fleece did the job with no base layers required.
Trousers Going up in just your pants wouldn't be too fun, and the sheep may become concerned. Do you need hiking poles for Ben Nevis? After dismissing them for many, many years as something for older people and Austrians, we became converts to poles whilst doing the multi-day Inca Trail in Peru and Lost City Trek in Colombia.
We don't use them for single-day hikes in the UK, and didn't on our Ben Nevis walk, but a significant number of people on the trail were using them. Given the steep ascent, and never-ending descent, if you require the extra support or strength which hiking poles provide, then you absolutely should bring them. If you've got bad knees or are a little out of condition, then poles will also make things less hard on you across the hours our knees are pretty good and were feeling it by the end.
We own these travel hiking poles by Brasher. After the Visitor Centre and the Ben Nevis Inn , there ain't nothing on the trail or up at the top, so you need to bring everything with you. Pick it up, prep it, and pack it the night before to save you hassle or wasted time in the morning.
Water Bring at least 2 litres with you, and then a can of Coke or Irn-Bru in case you need the little sugary pick you up. There's also the chance to fill up at a wee waterfall if you don't mind doing that - just don't underestimate the amount of water to take, especially if hiking in the sweatier summer months.
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