To climb Ben Nevis with no experience?

[CiderWithRosy]

My DH and DS (17) are driving up to Scotland next week to climb Ben Nevis. I hadn't really given it much thought but I mentioned it to my mother and sister today and they were absolutely appalled. They said it was very dangerous and DH and DS shouldn't be attempting this by themselves. DH and DS don't have any experience of climbing mountains. DH (55) is relatively fit, keen cyclist and runner but DS is unfit, typical teenager spends most of his time gaming and has done absolutely no training for this. I've done some googling and there seems to be some pretty mixed information, some sources saying it's dangerous, some saying it's fine. Does anyone have any experience of this? Would they be foolish to attempt it? I feel quite worried now.

"The plus side is Lochaber mountain rescue are very used to rescuing the unprepared from the Ben."

Oh well that's OK then. Risking their own lives for the shorts and flip-flops brigade.

I disagree - walking poles save your knees on the way down. V useful if your legs get jelly like from too much ascent! V handy also if you disclocate a knee or twist an ankle

A note overall about hill walking / hiking in Scotland- youre packing and dressing for the worst case scenario. If the weather turned awful and you broke an ankle after realising you were off trail, would you survive? You MAY be fine walking up Nevis in trainers if it's all hunky dory but you also may not be. Mountain rescue are volunteers who regularly spend lots of time and compromise their own safety to rescue the poorly prepared.

I think the mountain rescue teams should hand all recuees a flowchart questionnaire. All answers like -did you bring a map 'no' end up in the box "IDIOT pay a fine for your stupidity"
To help fund the next plonker who walks up a mountain in trainers

Just curious - if it's a pony track does that mean you're allowed to ride a pony up it?

I did snowdonia few years ago with no training. It's was bloody knackering but I'm 48 (at the time). Not massively fit I Swim a lot but dont run etc

Took lots of sweets. Chocolate and water and a few sweet drinks. Good shoes and socks and layers and a decent rucksack and I coped. Getting down was worse tbh.

It's a long walk but the "tourist" route is quite straightforward.

Take extra layers, waterproofs, loads of food and drink and your walking boots or at least some walking type trainers. Also a torch for each person. If horrible weather is forecast don't bother.

We camped in Glen Nevis the other year and could see the little lights of torches descending the path well into the night.

Yes
Agree Had poles and take some pain killers and plasters too.

We actually climbed up part of Ben Nevis this morning! Went up the rocky section near the Youth hostel which was fairly steep, and then the gentler route back down the visitor centre.

What surprised me most about this area is how variable the weather is, one minute it looks lovely, the next it’s raining (no heat wave here!), so be prepared for all weathers. Wear decent walking shoes, layers, waterproof coat etc. Also, make sure you have plenty of water, food, snacks etc - it’s amazing how a chunk of chocolate can boost you. We were amazed by how casual some people were dressed.

Also be prepared for how long the walk will last, one sign we read said allow for seven hours (four up and three down).

However, whether you make it all the way up or not, the area around here is stunning.

incidentally, if you have a teen, you may consider visitiving Glen Etive, Skyfall country, or Glenfinnian viaduct, as featured in the Harry Potter films.

It's tough but the main tourist path is manageable for most people. A friend and I did it when we went to Scotland and both managed it fine- I'm reasonably fit but am not an experienced hill/mountain walker, she does virtually no exercise most of the time.

What's far more important is dressing for all weathers- even if it's sunny at the bottom there's no guarantee it will be at the top.

Your DH will have good cardio fitness so will be fine. Your DS will suffer (might spur him on to take better care of himself!). The Tourist Route is basically a big walk. I’d be wearing my trail running shoes (not fashion trainers), lightweight clothes (no jeans), a sun hat and sunscreen and carrying a waterproof, lots of water, some food, a phone and map and probably a foil blanket, just in case.

The 'pony track' was built for weather monitoring in Victorian times. Ponies were used to take up supplies and they would ride to the summit most days to make weather readings. In Scotland you can take a pony anywhere you are allowed to walk - we don't have separate bridle and footpaths, all paths can be used for non motorised access.

The pony track will be hoaching at this time of year, so just wear comfy shoes and take your time - there is loads of daylight to get up and down safely and you will be in a throng of people.

@squashyhat sarcasm? You heard of it?

It's fine. Seriously - as long as you have the right gear including wet weather gear. I took my dds up and down in a day one April. They were in better shape than me the next day 😂. They were 5 and 8. Follow the main route and take plenty of food and water.

The pony track is fine as long as you have proper boots, warm clothing, waterproofs, sunscreen, plenty of food and water, a map and a compass (and know how to use them!). Set off early so there's plenty of time for rest stops along the way - the unfit teen will need them more than his dad!

Be very careful at the top, especially if the weather is coming in. The North face of the Ben is a series of steep cliffs, and the top is featureless. If it's cloudy it's very easy to get turned around, walk off the edge, and have a severe fall.
I'm an experienced hillwalker and have done the Ben by various routes inc CMD arête, but it's always tricky at the top in thick cloud, and a tired novice walker could easily miss the path, which is merely a series of rock cairns against a background of other rocks at that point.

I hope you all have a great time! The fish and chips in Fort William on the way back always tastes amazing after a long day's hiking!

I think it took us about 8 hours with our kids who would be about 9 and 7 at the time. It's not hard, it's just a long slog and even though it was a hot sunny day there was snow and a bit of fog at the top.

They'll be fine on the main tourist track. Loads of people do that one this time of year. I managed to haul myself up there even though I was quite unfit. Slow and steady. If they wanted to do one of the other tracks you'd be better off asking a guide for advice.

Just make sure they have proper walking boots and waterproofs. Wear layers, the temperature can be very cold at the top even if it's warm at the bottom. Take plenty of water as well, better to overestimate that than under.

Even though iBen Nevis the tallest mountain in the country , I found Scafell Pike MUCH tougher!

I went up 7m pregnant.
Roundtrip would have been ~ 3 hours if we didn't take a very long different way down.
Good footwear is my main advice.
Don't let your son be shown up by a 7m pregnant lady. He can do this.

These days the ‘Tourist Track/Pony Track’ is referred to as the ‘Mountain Track’ in an attempt to deter the unprepared.

Consulting the weather forecast and taking appropriate action is essential. Despite the hot weather in much of the UK at the moment snow is forecast to fall this Saturday on the Ben (according to the Met Office).

I thought there was only one way up walking.... the other way up I thought was via north face, involving ropes and proper climbing

Or one other way up to halfway where it meets main track up

You can also go up Nevis via the CMD arête, which has a small amount of scrambling and a slightly airy at times ridge, but which definitely doesn’t require ropes or climbing. I’ve taken that route as an ordinary, non climbing, hillwalker.

Yes sorry, I remember that now. Only because of the girl who lost her way that way last year and fell resulting in her death.

Not the easiest route but rewarding and quieter