A Hike into the Clouds

Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, tucked into surrounding, seemingly endless mountain peaks, there stands a sleepy giant. Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain and an impressive 1345m tall, is not a peak to be snuffed at. One well-worn path, trodden by an estimated 150,000 people annually, leads you up to the highest point where you'll find an emergency shelter and the remains of an 1893 observatory.

We aimed to set off early to try and avoid the crowds. Early, for us, being 8 am. We were parked up in the camper van just outside the Ben Nevis Inn, which conveniently sits right next to the starting point. By the time we’d dragged ourselves from under the cosy duvet, had some much-needed coffee and a good breakfast to fuel our hike, not to mention a trip to the visitor centre to use the facilities (there’s no toilet in our camper van), it was about an hour later than we had intended on setting off. The crowds were already gathering at the base and the day was starting to get hot. We packed our bags with plenty of water and food as there are no facilities along the way, I grabbed my camera and off we went.

The first section took us along a track lined on either side with fern and bracken. Not long had we been walking and already the views were amazing, forcing me to stop at every bend to take photos. We kept climbing, along rocky paths, clambering over boulders and through streams running down the mountain. Aside from stopping to take pictures, we didn’t take too many breaks, keen to keep up a good pace. The sun was beating down on an uncharacteristically (for Scotland) bright, clear day and already we were sweating buckets.

Zig-zagging up the mountainside, we stopped for a much-needed rest and snack break. One thing I didn’t expect (although it was the season for it in Scotland), was the relentless midge attacks which forced us to keep pushing higher and higher just to avoid the swarms.

Along the way, the path took us past Loch Meall an t-Suidhe, which sat among a picturesque backdrop of mountain peaks as far as the eye could see. Around this point, the terrain began to change from soft grassy slopes to sharp jagged rocks, and we suddenly had to be much more careful where we put our feet. As we climbed up along the rocky path, soft white clouds began to blanket us and the air became cool and crisp.

Eventually, the path began to flatten out, we’d made it to the top. We explored among the crowds of people, deciding not to queue to get a photo with the “highest point” marker. I was keen to climb into the aluminium emergency shelter which had been covered in stickers from years of visitors. Crawling in through the small entrance, the most you could do inside was crouch or sit on the wooden planks. Graffiti and an empty tuna can were the only inhabitants of this shelter now and I wondered how many people had taken refuge inside from the notoriously bad Scottish weather.

With an average of only 14 clear days atop Ben Nevis, we felt extremely privileged when the clouds parted and we were treated to blue sky and incredible views from the summit. I felt like a giant among giants, with mountain peaks stretching as far as the eye could see. We sat for a while, taking in the view and enjoyed watching the curious ravens, gliding and swooping around the peaks. What a playground to enjoy with a pair of wings. I marvelled at their size and grace, the sun glinting on their glossy black feathers.

The best part was over, now for the long descent back to the van. There was only one way to go, the same way we had come. In many ways, I would say going down was more challenging than going up. Toe crunching and the constant impact on your knees made it quite a painful experience. Not only that but halfway down, my calf muscles felt tight and painful from the relentless strain they were under. We eventually made it, feeling sore and tired but elated that we had summited Ben Nevis! We drove to the nearest town of Fort William for a much-needed shower in the leisure centre and treated ourselves to a nice dinner out.

It took a good few days for the muscle pain to subside, like a parting gift from the UK’s highest mountain.

If you find yourself in the Scottish Highlands, I highly recommend climbing Ben Nevis. I saw a wide variety of people making the climb from small children to older retirees. It’s a challenge, but it’s accessible for most and it’s well worth the effort.