Ring of Steal or Ben Nevis

[kellymk82]

Hello!

We finish the WHW on Thursday and we have allowed an extra day in our trip so that we can go up Ben Nevis (legs permitting). Neither of us have been up it before. I also came across the Ring of Steal walk which looks really good. As we only have one day I'm undecided. I'm tempted to change our plans and do the Ring of Steal instead.

What are peoples thoughts/opinions. If you only had one day to walk in that area what would you do/where would you go? We are both fairly experienced hill/mountain walkers. But we have only ever walked in the lakes/Snowdonia. So this is our first opportunity to bag ourselves a Munro or two

[Gythral]

Depending on how fit you feel, I would want to do either Ben Nevis from the northern car park, via [url="https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/carnmordeargarete.shtml"]Carn Mor Dearg Arete[/url] or the [url="https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/ringofsteall.shtml"]Ring of Steall[/url], both will need some additional walking distance if using public transport, as the Glen Nevis Youth Hostal is as far a bus goes now (41) or Torlundy road junction, 19,919 or village (iirk) 41

I would not want to do Ben Nevis by just going up & down the 'tourist track'

[kellymk82]

Thanks,

We are leaving the car at Fort William and getting a transfer to Milngavie so we have transport when we get to the end. Also camping in Glen Nevis at the caravan and camping site. I'll check out the northern car park

[Sunset tripper]

The Ring of Steall and the ben from the north face car park via CMD are both outstanding routes. Whatever one you choose I would recommend you come back and do the other one some other time.

The North Face Approach

[kellymk82]

Dont worry! The more i read up the more i realise that i need to spend a lot more time exploring scotland

[Harko]

Tourist route up Ben Nevin is boring - best done via Carn Mor Derg arete as some have already suggested, but it is a bit of a lickout and I dunno how up for that you'd be after completing the WHW??!!

I would recommend doing the Ring of Steall - it's a great day out and isn't too taxing.

[Robinho08]

Ring of Steall is definitely the more enjoyable walk out of the two. That said, to finish the WHW by scaling Britain's highest mountain is a fine way to finish the WHW.

[Sunset tripper]

For sure it is a matter of opinion which is the best day out or which is the harder day. I find them similar in both ways but everyone is different. There is the novelty factor of the rope bridge at Steall which might make it more enjoyable if it's your first time up there.
It should be a great day whichever you choose if you have the energy after the WHW.

The Steall Bridge.

[Lunco]

If anyone has this question in the future, I'd recommend going up Sgurr an lubhair from the WHW (path is a little boggy, but not too bad), doing the Devil's ridge to Sgurr a' Mhaim and dropping to Glen Nevis and joining up with the WHW to Fort William. You basically do the best part of Ring of Steall and then go up Ben Nevis via CMD the next day (sadly I couldn't as there was too much snow at the end of April).

Personally, I was sick of how easy WHW was by the end of it, so this detour was quite enjoyable. When you crest the ridge before Sgurr an lubhair the view of Nevis range is stunning.

[kellymk82]

Thanks guys. As it turned out i badly burnt my legs on the last stretch from Kinlochleven to Fort William. So sadly we didn't do either but i am planning to head back up there for a week to explore further as i was blown away by how lovely it is up there.

Lunco, i agree with you to some extent. It was my first venture to walking in Scotland and i did enjoy it. But the old military roads were getting quite tedious towards the end of the trip. Cant wait to get back up there to explore the mountains though

Thanks for all the recommendations!