Ben Nevis – Snow Almost Gone!

Whilst it poses no problems and is receding and softening all the time, there is still plenty of snow on the upper summit plateau of the Ben. This proved more entertaining than tiresome for 9-yr old Ollie as he led his dad Richard and myself up the big mountain a couple of weekends ago.

Ollie Takes a Rare Breather.

The hill was quite crowded with numerous Three Peaks charity climbs underway and brightly coloured t-shirts proclaiming the different charities were everywhere! We also had the Olympic torch passing through Fort William to contend with so quiet it was not!

Quiet It Was Not!

Good weather, which lasted the whole day, enhanced the experience and it was clear on top (first time for me this year) which brightened even further the triumphant summit atmosphere. Runners, walkers and staggerers posed for photos and 3 young guys retrieved some bagpipes from their rucksacks and proceeded to play appropriate bagpipey tunes.

Bring It On!

Not everyone had a great day though – approaching the half-way point, the prostrate shape of one charity eventer suggested his climb was over. Sure enough, as we passed him his mates had already called for help and the rescue helicopter duly arrived a few minutes later – adding further to young Ollie’s big day out experience!

Rescue Underway!

We were up and down in a little over 6hrs and Ollie was well pleased with himself – as he had every right to be. A most creditable effort for a most engaging young man who now has just 282 Munros to go!

Check out my plans for similar walks at: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Ben Nevis – Japanese Style!

Bring It On!

Ben Nevis

Following last week’s disappointing visit, better news today from Lochaber! A 3-day visit in the delightful company of Natsuyo (Peggy to her friends) and Andy, and blessed with much more reasonable weather, made for happy days!

Half-way Viewpoint

Natsuyo had travelled almost as far as Ozzy Keith last week in jetting in from Tokyo and swiftly flying up to Glasgow for a Hillways pick-up and on to Fort William. This set her up nicely for a gentle climb up Ben Nevis just 48hrs after leaving the Land of the Rising Sun! Fortunately, she was able to catch distinct glimpses of the very same celestial body as we moved steadily up the Tourist Path trying to ensure that as little as possible was lost in translation!

Above the Snowline

Having scaled Mt Fuji, ‘Peggy’ had little difficulty with the Ben although Andy and I were somewhat startled when she declared she would have to stop for a few minutes because of her heart! Thankfully, this translated into pausing to catch her breath. Once all our heartbeats had returned to normal, we pressed on reaching the snow/ice line close to the top of the zig-zags at 1170m.

Going Strongly for the Top!

Here we attached our crampons and completed the final few hundred metres to the summit on icy crust and in limited visibility. The summit only emerged from the white murk at about 100m. As with the previous week, deep snow covered the old observatory and the rockpile supporting the trig point. As with the previous week, a cold wind discouraged any lingering on top and as with the previous week, we beat a hasty retreat! Half way down I discovered there’s nothing quite like the icy stare of a Japanese lady who really really does want to stop for lunch! It wasn’t my fault there was no rice……

Another Misty Summit Shot!

Only an occasional snow shower hinted at the need for waterproofs, but in the event none were needed as we returned down as dry as we started - a refreshing change! Natsuyo’s time of 7hrs was most commendable for someone who had been sitting at Tokyo airport a couple of days earlier and whose body clock was probably somewhere over Russia!

Glen Nevis

Glen Nevis

In dry and occasionally sunny conditions, we strolled up the Glen to Steall waterfall, receiving informed titbits on trees various from tree surgeon Andy. We also learned about bracket fungus, bonsai Scots Pines and air-digging whilst Natsuyo marvelled at how the Nevis gorge resembled one giant Japanese garden.

Mullach nan Coirean

That night, by special request from Mrs Suzuki, we tucked into haggis, neeps & tatties and even shared a few drams of the water of life! We also learned that a Chinaman must build his future wife a house before he can marry her and pay twenty times his annual salary if he wants a 2nd child. Or something like that. The exact meaning may have been lost in translation……….

Check out my future plans for this winter on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/winter/winter.htm

Ben Nevis - A Battle Royal!

The Only Photo Taken All Day!

Well the MWIS forecast wasn't quite spot on - we were spared the 100mph winds - but it did rain on our parade, very heavily and all day long! Niall flew over from Ireland, Michelle came all the way from New York City and Laura just popped up from Edinburgh - and the 4 of us battled gamely away in the most atrocious conditions all the way to the summit cairn and all the way down again.

Congratulations all on a very impressive achievement. It was not a day for the faint-hearted, nor polite conversation, leisurely picnics or sunbathing. It was a day for hunkering on down and fighting each step of the way; the drive home was pretty ferocious too!

Check out my future plans for this winter on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/winter/winter.htm

Ben Nevis - First Snow of Winter!

The week has started with a pretty brisk up and down the Ben with Cheryl who decided that climbing the highest mountain in the British Isles to raise money for Rett UK ( http://www.rettuk.org/rettuk-public/rettuk.html ) was a great way of remembering a close friend. It certainly was.

The weather forecast was atrocious – strong winds, heavy showers and snow! Accordingly, we started up the hill with an open mind and I took along the ice axes just as a precaution. As it was, we enjoyed the best of the day with little wind and no showers. Yes there was snow and some ice on the upper part of the mountain and yes it started snowing once we were on top, but we had no complaints.

The snow turned to rain and remained with us all the way down but it couldn’t take away Cheryl’s amazing personal achievement, climbing her first mountain in a most creditable time (6½hrs from start to finish) and raising over £1,000 for a great cause.

It was a privilege to guide her.

Check out my future plans for this winter on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/winter/winter.htm

Ben Nevis - Rush Hour!

Glen Nevis

Well obviously you don’t take the Tourist path up Ben Nevis on the 3rd Saturday of July in bright blue sunshine and expect to have the hill to yourself. We didn’t!

Bill & Adam Lead the Way

A veritable swarm of walkers, runners, charity teams, family groups, dogs and a lady in a burka accompanied Bill, Adam and myself up the UK’s highest chunk of real estate. They were still heading up late in the day as we were finishing – mainly Three Peaks challengers embarking on their 24hr quest.

Tower Ridge

The summit was predictably busy but a snow bunting proved to be a welcome distraction perched on top of the emergency shelter and tweeting his heart out. He’s probably quite a fat little snow bunting by now given the amount of discarded food I saw!

First Munro - Not a Bad Start!

Needless to say, wide expansive views were available all day long and the Ben was in an unusually benign mood – and probably will be for the next few days. Grab it whilst it’s hot!

Check out my future plans for similar walks on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/summer/summer.htm

Ben Nevis – A Winter Ascent

This weekend saw a quick return to Fort William to introduce Philip from Holland to the delights of a Scottish winter mountain ascent. He decided to begin at the top and elected to make the mighty Ben his first conquest of a Scottish peak – and in winter! My Dutch was no match for Philip’s English (fortunately) and we only lost ourselves in translation once. Philip seemed unusually unimpressed when I told him that sea eagles could now be seen in Scotland. He thought I was talking about seagulls!

Sunshine in Glen Nevis

Following a milder – and wetter – week, the snow has receded up the mountain during the past week and the lower half of the mountain was clear. This enabled a relatively quick ascent to the Red Burn crossing and no real levels of snow were encountered until about 900m. The crampons came on soon after and the cloud came down to ensure a completely different atmosphere and ambience from the sun-lit glen below.

Approaching the Snowline

The summit arrived after 3¼hrs together with assorted climbers and walkers who were milling around as if waiting for the clearance that never quite came. A lone snow bunting provided added interest but it was not a place to linger long on this day. We headed down, breaking cloud half-way down the zig-zags and finished the day in warm sunshine and with maybe, just maybe, a slight hint of Spring in the air!!!

Spring is in the Air (Perhaps)!

Check out my future plans for this winter on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/winter/winter.htm