Sure Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the UK. But it’s up and back in the day. And I’ve done Kilimanjaro. I’d climbed Snowdon the year before and whilst it was a big day it was manageable.
I really didn’t think climbing Ben Nevis would be that big a deal. I was very wrong.
Climbing Ben Nevis: Finding a Guide
As I was travelling solo I decided to find a guide to help me in climbing Ben Nevis – thank goodness. I emailed the hotel I was staying at (The Lime Tree) and asked for a recommendation.
They came back with Atlas Mountaineering. After I sent him an email the owner Connor actually rang me and asked if I knew what I was getting into.
He explained that even though I was planning on climbing Ben Nevis at Easter there would still be a lot of snow on the top of Ben Nevis and that I would need to use crampons and an ice axe.
This struck fear into my heart as my usual rule is that I don’t climb anything that requires technical stuff – especially in the scary snow. He also explained that the weather changed very quickly climbing Ben Nevis.
I thought oh well maybe the weather will be better than he says and stayed very positive.
The Morning of the Climb
I was up early my first morning in Fort William and drove to meet my guide, John. He was very experienced and gave me a lot of warnings about climbing Ben Nevis.
I hired the crampons and ice axe from him for my climb up Ben Nevis as well as some winter climbing boots. Winter climbing boots have a much firmer base so work better with crampons vs normal hiking books.
We headed off and decided we would review how fat to climb about an hour or so in. The visibility on Ben Nevis was not great – although at that point I was only concerned about taking photos rather than actually being able to see where I was going.
Anyway, we got to the go/no-go zone and John said he thought I could handle climbing Ben Nevis so I couldn’t say no.
An hour later we put on crampons and I had my first go at an ice axe. The crampons were actually great – so much easier to walk in. And the ice axe was heavy but fine.
About half an hour after we put them on complete whiteout descended on us. All I could see was John’s pack. Every inch of me was covered and thank goodness I was exerting myself so heavily or I would have been freezing.
Reaching the Summit of Ben Nevis
At one point John turned to me and said: “We’re here”. I asked where we were and he replied that we had reached the summit of Ben Nevis.
Luckily there was a snow-covered rock that I could put my hand on and get a photo on my phone. I checked it out against shots on a clear day on Ben Nevis online the next day and could not believe the difference.
You might enjoy reading my article on facts about Scotland.
Then came the worst bit – getting down the mountain. John was keen to get us down as quickly as possible – so was I but it was hard work on the knees heading down – and scary stuff heading down at quite a fast pace in crampons.
Finally, after another hour we could take off the crampons. An hour later we stopped climbing Ben Nevis for the first time that day – it was about 3 pm.
Finally, I was able to eat something although I was so exhausted by that point I could barely be bothered. Another hour and a half of painful walking as my soaked socks made my foot slip inside every step – guaranteeing me another lost toenail.
I also went through 3 pairs of gloves that day (soaked) and John went through 5 pairs.
End of the Climb
I have never been so happy to see a car in my life as I was that day. I asked John how our day had compared to previous times climbing Ben Nevis – on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the toughest where would this sit?
He looked at me like I was a bit mad and said well it doesn’t get worse than total whiteout. He had been in conditions that bad before but never anything worse which was quite sobering.
He also told me how many people disappear climbing Ben Nevis each year as the weather comes in so quickly and destroys visibility. I can certainly see how this is the case.
Thank goodness I had my boutique hotel booked – The Lime Tree. And I had already checked that I could have room service. I arrived at the front desk of The Lime Tree Fort William very bedraggled and the first thing they pointed out to me was the drying room of which I made good use.
I had an amazing hot shower and jumped into my high thread count sheets. Delicious room service was up next with wine and tv and gosh did it feel good.
I woke up in the morning to a rather sore body and a very big appetite for the large Scottish breakfast that was awaiting me.
When should I climb Ben Nevis?
I would highly recommend climbing Ben Nevis in better weather than I did – preferably June before the midges. It is recommended that amateur walkers should only attempt to climb Ben Nevis between June and September.
And if you are traveling solo definitely get a guide. I would also be careful going up in a group (which they run in the summer) and stick close to the guide and other members of the group.
It would be so easy to get confused up there and make a wrong turn when the weather comes in. Atlas Mountaineering was fantastic and I would highly recommend them.
How Long does it take to climb Ben Nevis?
The climb generally takes anywhere between 7 and 9 hours. Most people choose to start their climb by at least 9am.
What do I need to Pack?
The most important thing to pack is solid footwear. Shoes should have good ankle support and a solid grip. Layers are critical as the weather is so prone to major changes.
Do bring a water bladder and/or water bottle with at least 2 litres of water. There is nowhere to buy supplies once you are on the climb so make sure you bring snacks, some lunch etc.
Many of the hotels in Fort William will provide you with something like this on request.
⇒ If you are travelling around Scotland don’t miss the lovely Edinburgh! Here is a fantastic itinerary that covers everything great to do in Edinburgh in 4 days.
⇒ And whilst in Edinburgh, I highly recommend that you explore Underground Edinburgh.
⇒ Another great option is to drive through the stunning South West of Scotland – don’t miss the lovely areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire.
⇒ Scotland has some great sunsets – don’t miss the sunset in Edinburgh and sunset in Glasgow. And there are many beautiful places to see in Scotland. Plus a great spa scene.
⇒ I’ve put together a 7 day Scotland Itinerary, 10 day Scotland Itinerary and a guide to the best things to do in Inverness. Plus if you’re just heading to Glasgow check out the tours not to miss.
Boutique Hotels Around Fort William:
If you would like to stay as close to Ben Nevis as possible you can stay at The Factors Inn which is on the grounds of Inverlochy Castle. Wake up underneath Ben Nevis from just £77 per night.
If you like the idea of staying super close to Ben Nevis but after something more decadent you can actually stay at Inverlochy Castle – but prices do start at £313 per night.
The Lime Tree is a cool boutique hotel with an art gallery right in the heart of Fort William £90 per night.
Stay right on the Loch at Cruachan Hotel £77 per night. You can enjoy a bar meal on the loch, some stunning views and you are right in Fort William.
Flights and Getting Around Scotland:
The best place to fly into to climb Ben Nevis is Glasgow. The other option is to fly to Inverness which is on the east coast and drive through Loch Ness and head down to Fort William.
Once you arrive in Scotland I would highly recommend that you hire a car. The roads are easy to drive and there is not a lot of traffic. It really is the most lovely way to see Scotland in my view.
If you are heading to Scotland from London, in particular, it can be a lovely experience to take the train. And this can, of course, continue once you arrive.
Tours for Solos:
If you are traveling solo and heading to Scotland check out these organised tour options:
⇒ Just You Scotland
Don’t leave home without travel insurance.
Who Paid for What in this Post
I covered all of the costs associated with my climb up Ben Nevis. However, this post does contain affiliate links. That means if you click through on them and end up making a purchase I may receive a small commission. I wanted to make sure that you were aware of this.
READ NEXT: THE BEST TOURS IN GLASGOW
Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.
Interesting report about doing this climb in winter! Wouldn’t want to be alone in the middle of such total white out… We did the climb 1,5 years ago in August, and even at that time of the year it was cold on the summit. Otherwise we were lucky with the weather, since it was clear and sunny day, nice memories 🙂
Sounds like a challenging hike! I’ve never been to anywhere except Edinburgh in Scotland where I climbed to Arthur’s Seat, which is nothing when compared to this. I’d love to do this though.
Oh my goodness…. So much of ice that you were covered and your hand almost froze when checking compass? That’s harsh and really brave of you to scale it!
Lovely Travel Blog. Keep sharing more inspiring traveling post about world.
Great blog. I have visited the site but never climbed it. THe U.K. does have great places to go to
That hike sounds really scary. I would probably be too chicken to attempt to summit in such a total whiteout. Kudos to you for completing the hike.
Thanks Denny – the truth is I didn’t know what I was getting into so I don’t think I was that brave!!!!
Mountain climbing is a kind of adventure I always love to do. I haven’t been to Scotland yet, and this guide will surely be a big help If I climb this mountain. Your photos are really amazing as well. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
My son loves hiking Thanks for sharing so much information. Ideas like these are so useful for a hiking freak like me! Looking forward to going for a hike real soon on k2 base camp trek!
thanks for this awesome clicks