Any advice for Ben Nevis please!

[Sunsetsandcocktails]

Hello all, I’m planning to hike Ben Nevis in a couple of weeks and wondered if anyone had any advice or could tell me what it’s like!

I’ve heard mixed reviews on the difficulty so far. We’ll be choosing the easiest route (the pony trek route?) and won’t be rushing.

I need to buy a backpack if anyone has any recommendations for a lightweight one that will fit the layers I will inevitably take off, water/food etc. ?

thanks in advance!

Have you done Scafell Pike? Apparently BN is similar just bigger!

Hi I've done BN once and not for the faint hearted. My one big piece of advice would be is that if your navigation skills are not up to scratch then hire a guide. The weather and visibility change so quickly and we had to abandon when we were about half a mile from the summit. We literally couldn't see anything and then coming down was very slippery and hard on the knees. Take plenty of layers and lots of food / snacks.

Tell the people that you’re staying in Fort William with where you’re going and what time you’re expecting to be back. My husband did BN with our sons, ages 11 and 14 at the time, a few years ago, it was good weather though and plenty of people were there.

I did it a few years ago, in a white out blizzard (I was with a winter training group, I would not recommend this!).

So I second the difficultly of navigating in bad weather, we were lost for about 4 hours in snow up to our knees.

If the weather is bad just simply turn around.

Back pack wise, I’ve got a decathlon own brand that’s brilliant. They tend to do very high spec for a much more reasonable price than Ospray or Berghaus etc

Get one that has a water bladder and tube like a camel bak so you stay hydrated. It’s a faff to stop and take a bottle out.

It isn't as difficult as Scafell, although it's longer. Take lightweight clothes and sufficient for all four seasons. I've been in a t-shirt at the bottom and had snow at the top. Plenty of fluids, and tell someone the route you are taking and an expected return time. Start at first light to give yourself plenty of time, take it easy and enjoy it.

Second getting a guide if bad weather. I did it a few years back in September- we gave ourselves 2 days to choose from but both ended up really crappy weather, so we got a guide who literally marched us up and back down as quickly as possible as the weather was just getting worse. No views, constant rain just hideous and without a guide we would’ve been in trouble!

You’ll be fine and have a great time! In the right weather the Pony Track is not especially hard, just steep and long.

Buy a paper OS Map. Cut out the relevant section beforehand so you’re not trying to unfold a massive map in the wind. Also download an app with OS Maps (you’ll probably have to pay). You can do that through OS themselves or another app like Outdoor Active. Use the app as your primary navigation with the paper map as back up. Make sure your phone is fully charged. Don’t be tempted to use Google Maps or similar.

Take a compass and watch some YouTube videos on how to use it.

There’s a website called Mountain Weather Information Service. Check this the morning you go. It tells you what the weather will be like at the top of the hill. Other weather forecasts tell you what the weather will be like at the bottom. This is often very different.

If the MWIS forecast is bad, don’t go. This is actually quite important. Ben Nevis by the Pony Track on a sunny day with low wind is not that hard for two fit people with good legs. Ben Nevis in thick cloud could kill you (it could also kill you in mild sunshine, but it’s much less likely).

Buy a rucksack of at least 25 litres. Pack 1l of water (each, minimum, personally I would take 1.5l), a good waterproof jacket, a warm insulating layer, a map, a compass, a headtorch each, lots of food (preferably about 1000 calories each). Lots of carbs and sugar and fat. Today is not a day to be healthy. Eat gradually over the day rather than stopping for one massive lunch. Eat while moving.

Leave early! The days are shorter now. Work out how long you expect to take, then add 50%. Leave early enough that with that contingency you’ll be down before sunset. The head torches you’ve packed are a precaution in case you’re not.

Tell someone where you’re going, where you’re parking, your number plate and a description of your car, the route you’re taking, when you’re leaving and when you expect to get back down. Tell them to call mountain rescue (phone 999, ask for police then ask for MR) if you’re not down by your contingency time (which, remember, is expected time plus 50%.) Text them when you’re back at your car to tell them you’re safe. If you’re delayed but safe, text them once you have signal to tell them so. Don’t expect to have much signal.

If you start but it’s all going wrong, either because of weather or injuries or something else, don’t be afraid to turn back. The mountain will still be there next year.

Remember that most accidents happen on the way down, not the way up. Peak time for mountain rescue call-outs is about 4pm. Leave lots of time to get down without hurrying.

Book a table at a nice pub afterwards. Nobody wants to be standing in a massive queue when you’re ravenously hungry and your feet feel like they’re about to fall off.

I know that sounds like a lot. It’s not meant to be scary. You’ll have a great time. On a good day the views are stunning. Be safe and enjoy it.

Greenbike's advice above is excellent. The only thing I'd add is that if there's snow at the top, be very careful to stay well clear of the edge. It's prone to cornicing and when you're standing on the top, it's impossible to tell whether there's rock or fresh air (and a big drop) beneath you. Make sure you know how to navigate along the line of the path in snow directly across the top to the summit.

It may not be relevant to you if you're going in a couple of weeks, but I thought I'd add it as people may find the thread and attempt the walk when the weather's less favourable.

I hope you enjoy it - I've never managed to see a view from the top! Each time I've been the weather's closed in and visibility was rubbish. If you get a good view, add a photo to the thread for me! 😆

Oooh, the only other things I can think of taking are a foil blanket / bivvy bag and an emergency whistle. They were compulsory kit when I was in the university hiking club. Hopefully never needed but might help in a sticky situation.

Walking poles. Very helpful on the descent.

I second the advice re watching the specialist local weather forecast and changing plans if necessary.

I need to buy a backpack if anyone has any recommendations for a lightweight one that will fit the layers I will inevitably take off, water/food etc. ?

I'm a bit concerned (from this statement) that you are not a walker / hiker ?
I really, really, really wouldn't do Ben Nevis if you are not used to hiking up other hills and mountains.
It's a hard slog, not 'pretty' or nice scenery.
If you are just starting out with walking (which I've inferred from you not having equipment and by the whole question you are asking), there are so many much better walks to begin with.

Apologies if I have misread what you have put, but Ben Nevis IS a big mountain.

^This. In spades.

Adding a spade

It really depends on how experienced you are as a hiker. I did many hikes in the Alps before I did BN and to me it wasn’t that difficult. But if you never climbed a mountain before it will be a whole different experience.

Just to add to the caution above about lack of experience, if you want to start with a statement mountain, I'd recommend Snowdon.

OP are you going on your own or with a partner/ group?

If you are walking with someone experienced then it it mainly about endurance. Loads of non hikers climb the Ben every year. But the weather can turn, DH went up once when Mountain rescue had someone part way up turning people back who weren't equipped/experienced enough.

It is a really long day, agree with PP about walking poles, early start, and take care on the descent. You want to carry enough to be prepared but not so much you are overloaded.

Hi, I've hiked Ben Nevis several times over the years. Going into October you can get done on the top. The wind is very strong (will push you around) and it can fog up so you can't see more than a few metres. That said if the weather breaks it's glorious and if you're fit you can be up and down in 4-5hrs (fell running).
You need:
Backpack with waist strap to sop it bouncing.
3 litre Cammel pak drink pouch (tube with a straw attached to your bag strap so you don't need to stop to drink).
Grazing food rather than "stop for lunch" to avoid indigestion/ fatigue. And frankly you shouldn't stop more than 10mins on BN.
Gore tek hiking boots
Quick dry hiking trousers, long sleeve shirt.
Fleece
A Water proof top with tightening hood.
Whistle and torch (in case you fall, to attract attention)

If it's your first you need to do other hikes first to understand what you're getting into. Do a 15 mile walk. Do something like the Yorkshire dales or Chiltern hike for smaller hills. Then maybe Hellveyn or Snowdon mountains.

Dangerous to assume a) you're fit enough b) competent enough to hit britains tallest mountain without preparing....

And for God sake go as part of a group on a good weather day and stay on the paths.

Another spade here as I'm also concerned you don't have a backpack and therefore may not have done many hill walks.

Your kit - especially shoes, backpack, trousers and jacket - should ideally already have been used for 20+ miles (not all at once) to iron about any kinks. I would not use new kit in a climb that is going to be a big step up in terms of length or difficulty.

I would do some long walks first. Ben Nevis is an 8 hour walk. You do not want this to be the first time you have ever walked for 8 hours. Ideally not the first time you have done near that distance with elevation. You don't want BN to be the place you discovered your knees won't take the abuse. Or be the time you have to learn your own pace because you misjudged it.

Sorry to sound negative but despite its popularity BN is not the best choice for many 'firsts'.

I agree with this , anyone thinking of climbing the uks biggest mountain should already have a good rucksack from previous walks / climbs .
Even if you have one but want to upgrade/ replace it BN is not the place to take it for its 1st outing.

We went with our kids (7, 9, 11 and 13). It was good weather. We set off early and each took a rucsac filled with food, drinks and warm clothing. It is easy but long to get up but you have to be prepared as we left on a sunny morning but at the top it was so cold my eyelashes froze. On the way down I had some difficulty - my boots weren't fitted properly and my toe nails fell off as they constantly bashed my boots. Luckily I had a walking pole buy I wax in agony every step of the way down so ensure you have properly fitted walking shoes or boots. The kids ran down like mountain goats but on the way down there are a few places you could make a wrong turn, especially with low visibility.

Did it once in the summer in my 20s with no training. I was very out of shape physically (but had no health conditions).
Good weather, clear and cool, lots of people doing it. It hurt from about half way up during, so it was quite unpleasant for a couple of hours, knees hurt all the way going down so most of the downhill was unpleasant, and legs hurt very badly the next day - my friend and I didn’t get out of bed and booked an extra day in our accommodation! The view was nice but IMO no nicer than views from the car 😆

You do know people have been killed up there?

The first part of the hike was the hardest imo, as the steps cut into the rock are very high and not for short women. Once you get to the tarn it evens out (watch for midges though) and then it's more straightforward with a bit of loose scree towards the top.

The way down can be tough on the knees especially towards the bottom if you are short.

The following year I did Sca fell but with hiking poles. The difference was incredible. I was hobbling down Ben Nevis but skipped down Sca Fell overtaking people. Might be worth considering.

Famously, Avon's scented body oil is the best midge repellent. I slathered it on and didn't get bitten even though I walked through a swarm as heavy as a mist beside the tarn.

Agree with the points about the cold and boots. we had good jackets and worn in, fitting boots.

I wouldn't go if the weather is bad. The rocks at the start would be super slippery. And visibility at the top is essential. I'd read up that if a mist comes down on your way back, veer left as you head down the mountain. When I got to the top I saw why - the right hand side is a sheer drop, no safety barriers. It's a wilder mountain than Snowdon - no cafe, loo, railway, just a ruined observatory and a trig point.