Taking the wife and kids up next week. They are good walkers and have already done Snowdon and Sca fell. My main concern is conditions closing in. The weather doesn't look great and I want to take the safest option - even if that means not going up. Obviously wouldn't take any risks but wondered if you had any recommended routes. I went up last year by what appears to be the standard route out of the visitors centre via red burn and five finger gulley. This seemed pretty well defined and well used by others with no major probs other than avoiding the N.E face cliffs in a blizzard! However, I notice a couple of short sharp routes out of the car park at the end of the road (NN 167 691) and wondered what they are like if we have a limited window of opportunity. Any thought or advice welcomed. We have from Tuesday to Friday so fingers crossed for at leased one reasonable spell of weather.
From memory pretty much every route ends up on or pretty close to Meall an t' suide. From there they diverge and go up the various optional paths. If you want a walk rather than a climb and are concerned about bad conditions, I would recommend the tourist path. It isnt the greatest route but the views are good and this time of year, even if there is snow, it will be well-worn into a path. Also, if you are not familiar with the area, it represents a good route - similiar to the Miner's track on Yr Wyddfa. I have been up this in cloud and even then you need good navigation to ensure you dont wander off into gullies or off the big drops; of course, like every other mountain, in glorious sunshine, it is an easy route and we have even desecended straight down five finger gully(because we could see clearly and at distance). The problem with going up over the carn more dearg arete from behind Ben Nevis is that often you get cloud covering it/blowing over it and on top of the odd bit of spindrift and corniced snow/ice, this makes it a bit more hazardous(never mind that it is a narrow track anyway at over 1,300 metres).
"JRS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Taking the wife and kids up next week. They are good walkers and have already done Snowdon and Sca fell. My main concern is conditions closing in. The weather doesn't look great and I want to take the safest option - even if that means not going up. Obviously wouldn't take any risks but wondered if you had any recommended routes. I went up last year by what appears to be the standard route out of the visitors centre via red burn and five finger gulley. This seemed pretty well defined and well used by others with no major probs other than avoiding the N.E face cliffs in a blizzard! However, I notice a couple of short sharp routes out of the car park at the end of the road (NN 167 691) and wondered what they are like if we have a limited window of opportunity. Any thought or advice welcomed. We have from Tuesday to Friday so fingers crossed for at leased one reasonable spell of weather.
In message <[email hidden]>, Rob Devereux <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Hi
From memory pretty much every route ends up on or pretty close to Meall an t' suide. From there they diverge and go up the various optional paths. If you want a walk rather than a climb and are concerned about bad conditions, I would recommend the tourist path. It isnt the greatest route but the views are good and this time of year, even if there is snow, it will be well-worn into a path. Also, if you are not familiar with the area, it represents a good route - similiar to the Miner's track on Yr Wyddfa. I have been up this in cloud and even then you need good navigation to ensure you dont wander off into gullies or off the big drops; of course, like every other mountain, in glorious sunshine, it is an easy route and we have even desecended straight down five finger gully(because we could see clearly and at distance). The problem with going up over the carn more dearg arete from behind Ben Nevis is that often you get cloud covering it/blowing over it and on top of the odd bit of spindrift and corniced snow/ice, this makes it a bit more hazardous(never mind that it is a narrow track anyway at over 1,300 metres).
I would echo everything Rob has said. Watch your navigation on the top if it's cloudy. See:
Taking the wife and kids up next week. They are good walkers and have already done Snowdon and Sca fell. My main concern is conditions closing in. The weather doesn't look great and I want to take the safest option - even if that means not going up. Obviously wouldn't take any risks but wondered if you had any recommended routes.
To be honest I'd recommend thinking about not bothering if it's just plodding up the switchbacks on the tourist track and back. If you've Just Got To Do It, fair enough, but there are plenty of other mountains that are at /least/ as enjoyable to walk up, having less hack, more sense of the hill you're on and fewer people.
Difficult to predict the weather up there for anything close to a week, but if it's clear and the Team are up to it then CMD arete is a route of considerably more distinction, though rather more serious. The usual plod up is okay as a descent and/or to say you've been up the Ben (and I realise that does matter to folk), but it is a fairly unremarkable plod IMHO distinguished mainly by there being so much of it.
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
JRS said:
Taking the wife and kids up next week. They are good walkers and have already done Snowdon and Sca fell. My main concern is conditions closing in. The weather doesn't look great and I want to take the safest option - even if that means not going up. Obviously wouldn't take any risks but wondered if you had any recommended routes.
To be honest I'd recommend thinking about not bothering if it's just plodding up the switchbacks on the tourist track and back. If you've Just Got To Do It, fair enough, but there are plenty of other mountains that are at /least/ as enjoyable to walk up, having less hack, more sense of the hill you're on and fewer people.
Difficult to predict the weather up there for anything close to a week, but if it's clear and the Team are up to it then CMD arete is a route of considerably more distinction, though rather more serious. The usual plod up is okay as a descent and/or to say you've been up the Ben (and I realise that does matter to folk), but it is a fairly unremarkable plod IMHO distinguished mainly by there being so much of it.
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
I would tend to agree but the kids are keen (only 12 and 9) and I think it will be an achievement for them to have done all 3 peaks whatever way we get up there. They are not too bothered about the nature of the route. Targets like this keep them interested in walking and the outdoors which is a major objective for me.
Taking the wife and kids up next week. They are good walkers and have already done Snowdon and Sca fell. My main concern is conditions closing in. The weather doesn't look great and I want to take the safest option - even if that means not going up. Obviously wouldn't take any risks but wondered if you had any recommended routes. I went up last year by what appears to be the standard route out of the visitors centre via red burn and five finger gulley. This seemed pretty well defined and well used by others with no major probs other than avoiding the N.E face cliffs in a blizzard! However, I notice a couple of short sharp routes out of the car park at the end of the road (NN 167 691) and wondered what they are like if we have a limited window of opportunity. Any thought or advice welcomed. We have from Tuesday to Friday so fingers crossed for at leased one reasonable spell of weather.
TIA
Jon
I'm a bit puzzled by the other responders concerning their reference to the Carn Mor Dearg arete as you wouldn't do that if you were going straight up from the end of the G Nevis road, which is my interpretation of the OP's query. The walk up through Coire Eoghainn is steep, and continuously so, but is perfectly straight forward and will have a walkers' trail up it now. You do save nearly 500 ft of ascent. I've done it in summer and winter with no problems. I haven't done the option over Carn Dearg (1020m) but from the map it looks OK.
Quoted message said:
From my recollection (and looking at the map) navigation off is
straightforward towards the start of the CMD arete, with the only warning to avoid drifting to your left.
"JRS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I would tend to agree but the kids are keen (only 12 and 9) and I think it will be an achievement for them to have done all 3 peaks whatever way we get up there. They are not too bothered about the nature of the route. Targets like this keep them interested in walking and the outdoors which is a major objective for me.
The tourist track is boring as a walk but the views are good all the way up if the weather holds and the top is excellent.
"Rob G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
JRS said:
Taking the wife and kids up next week. They are good walkers and have already done Snowdon and Sca fell. My main concern is conditions closing in. The weather doesn't look great and I want to take the safest option - even if that means not going up. Obviously wouldn't take any risks but wondered if you had any recommended routes. I went up last year by what appears to be the standard route out of the visitors centre via red burn and five finger gulley. This seemed pretty well defined and well used by others with no major probs other than avoiding the N.E face cliffs in a blizzard! However, I notice a couple of short sharp routes out of the car park at the end of the road (NN 167 691) and wondered what they are like if we have a limited window of opportunity. Any thought or advice welcomed. We have from Tuesday to Friday so fingers crossed for at leased one reasonable spell of weather.
TIA
Jon
I'm a bit puzzled by the other responders concerning their reference to the Carn Mor Dearg arete as you wouldn't do that if you were going straight up from the end of the G Nevis road, which is my interpretation of the OP's query. The walk up through Coire Eoghainn is steep, and continuously so, but is perfectly straight forward and will have a walkers' trail up it now. You do save nearly 500 ft of ascent. I've done it in summer and winter with no problems. I haven't done the option over Carn Dearg (1020m) but from the map it looks OK.
You can do it either way. Either go up to Meall an t'suide and then across the gully of Coire Eaoghainn and up or as you say, follow from the route at the back.
"Rob Devereux" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Jon
I'm a bit puzzled by the other responders concerning their reference to the Carn Mor Dearg arete as you wouldn't do that if you were going straight up from the end of the G Nevis road, which is my interpretation of the OP's query. The walk up through Coire Eoghainn is steep, and continuously so, but is perfectly straight forward and will have a walkers' trail up it now. You do save nearly 500 ft of ascent. I've done it in summer and winter with no problems. I haven't done the option over Carn Dearg (1020m) but from the map it looks OK.
You can do it either way. Either go up to Meall an t'suide and then across the gully of Coire Eaoghainn and up or as you say, follow from the route at the back.
Thanks All,
think i will err on side of caution and go up tourist route unless weather all of a sudden gets fantastic when I might consider the carn more dearg arete route. One thing that interests me having looked at the various routes downloaded from Anquet is that all routes tend to avoid the northerly more direct path when the path splits in to two between five fingers and the NE cliffs. Is that because it is generally safer to stay the five fingers side? I don't remember any problems when I went up and it was pretty snowy. The NE cliffs did look pretty close though.
I'm a bit puzzled by the other responders concerning their reference to the Carn Mor Dearg arete as you wouldn't do that if you were going straight up from the end of the G Nevis road, which is my interpretation of the OP's query. The walk up through Coire Eoghainn is steep, and continuously so, but is perfectly straight forward and will have a walkers' trail up it now. You do save nearly 500 ft of ascent. I've done it in summer and winter with no problems. I haven't done the option over Carn Dearg (1020m) but from the map it looks OK.
Quoted message said:
You can do it either way. Either go up to Meall an t'suide and then across the gully of Coire Eaoghainn and up or as you say, follow from the route at the back.
Thanks All,
think i will err on side of caution and go up tourist route unless weather all of a sudden gets fantastic when I might consider the carn more dearg arete route. One thing that interests me having looked at the various routes downloaded from Anquet is that all routes tend to avoid the northerly more direct path when the path splits in to two between five fingers and the NE cliffs. Is that because it is generally safer to stay the five fingers side? I don't remember any problems when I went up and it was pretty snowy. The NE cliffs did look pretty close though.
Thanks
Jon
Please do not get into the situation my wife and I met some years ago. We completed Tower Ridge and as we did so the mist came down. We found the path down and almost immediately met a guy coming up with a 10/11 year old in tow, both going quite quickly. As we descended the path still in the mist, we met up with a teenage boy and girl who asked if they had seen their father - the guy now at least 15 minutes ahead of them. I went back up the hill to try and find him but I wasn't prepared to go all the way to the summit so returned and we took these kids back down with us as the lassy was knackered. We explained the situation to the mother back in the glen and left her to ask the awkward questions !!
"Rob G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
JRS said:
"Rob Devereux" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
> Thanks All,
think i will err on side of caution and go up tourist route unless weather all of a sudden gets fantastic when I might consider the carn more dearg arete route. One thing that interests me having looked at the various routes downloaded from Anquet is that all routes tend to avoid the northerly more direct path when the path splits in to two between five fingers and the NE cliffs. Is that because it is generally safer to stay the five fingers side? I don't remember any problems when I went up and it was pretty snowy. The NE cliffs did look pretty close though.
Thanks
Jon
Please do not get into the situation my wife and I met some years ago. We completed Tower Ridge and as we did so the mist came down. We found the path down and almost immediately met a guy coming up with a 10/11 year old in tow, both going quite quickly. As we descended the path still in the mist, we met up with a teenage boy and girl who asked if they had seen their father - the guy now at least 15 minutes ahead of them. I went back up the hill to try and find him but I wasn't prepared to go all the way to the summit so returned and we took these kids back down with us as the lassy was knackered. We explained the situation to the mother back in the glen and left her to ask the awkward questions !!
Rob
No Danger of that Rob,
a little too old and wise even with 2 GPS units as well as map and compass. I have learnt from failed attempts on the yorkshire 3 peaks when the mist comes down in Ingleborough or dusk descends that it will always be there next time and the sensible course is to get back to the hill inn for a dram and reflect on a good days walk and thats when only risking my own skin. Ditto the Ben Nevis Inn this time!
I would hate to have been in his shoes when the misses got at him!
I would tend to agree but the kids are keen (only 12 and 9) and I think it will be an achievement for them to have done all 3 peaks whatever way we get up there. They are not too bothered about the nature of the route. Targets like this keep them interested in walking and the outdoors which is a major objective for me.
At that age, especially the 9 year old, I would strongly advise against the CMD Arette unless you are absolutely confident with the route yourself.
An excellent alternative to the Tourist Path from Glen Nevis is from Tourlundy car park. www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/nevis
You get excellent views of the mountain as you walk north, and although you still have to climb the zig zags, you should have a quiet walk until you get to the halfway lochan.
An alternate descent route is shown with a broken line.
In message <[email hidden]>, JRS <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
inn for a dram and reflect on a good days walk and thats when only risking my own skin.
Forget the mountains, now you're really entering my area of expertise:
Grog & Gruel - Fort William Clachaig Inn - Glencoe Corran Ferry Hotel - errrr, Corran Ferry Four Seasons - Inchree
Have fun,
Regards,
And the nevis sport bar under the shop. Always a decent selection of real ales on tap.
If the weather is a bit iffy then gondola up aonach mor and then walk to the summit is always an option. Views over to the ben are superb from there although of course if the weather is iffy the views may be too!
If weather is too iffy (and let's face it, there's a fair chance of that!) Glen Nevis itself is a pretty nice low level walk - waterfalls, wire bridge, etc.
"www.wheresthepath.co.uk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
If weather is too iffy (and let's face it, there's a fair chance of that!) Glen Nevis itself is a pretty nice low level walk - waterfalls, wire bridge, etc.
"www.wheresthepath.co.uk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
If weather is too iffy (and let's face it, there's a fair chance of that!) Glen Nevis itself is a pretty nice low level walk - waterfalls, wire bridge, etc.
Message-ID: <[email hidden]> from druidh contained the following:
Quoted message said:
I was in Glen Nevis (so I know what it was like) and the weather was glorious the next day!
So easy to miss the good weather on the Ben by one day...
BTDTGTT
-- Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email) It's only Usenet, no one dies. My opinions, not the committee's, mine. Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/
"www.wheresthepath.co.uk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
If weather is too iffy (and let's face it, there's a fair chance of that!) Glen Nevis itself is a pretty nice low level walk - waterfalls, wire bridge, etc.
weather was more than iffy on 30.5.06, in fact it was pants. But we made it, thanks to all for advice.
I had an excellent traverse of Buachaille Etive Mor the following day (with a broken collar bone). I didn't even venture out of the cottage in Glencoe on the 30th. Kudos to you for making it up on the most miserable day of the week.
