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Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)


by HighlandSC » Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:15 pm

Route description: Ben Nevis by the Mountain Path

Munros included on this walk: Ben Nevis

Date walked: 16/09/2009

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 17 km

Ascent: 1405m

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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby Stretch » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:13 pm

Ah much better, nice view of the European girls . . . I mean tower ridge :lol:

From your Picasa site pics I saw a shot of the trail with large white bags on it, is that trash? If so the scrambling on the CMD is looking better and better.
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby HighlandSC » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:28 pm

No they are the huge big bags of rocks (I'd think helicoptered in) ready to be used to build the path, well the bits of path that aren't already finished. The rubbish bins were a kind of large waste paper bin, they varied in shape and size! Just where do all the plastic bottles they were brimming with come from???? We guessed they maybe fill up on days when races or events are on? It can't from run of the mills walkers passing by, well I'd hope not!
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby HighlandSC » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:29 pm

Stretch wrote:Ah much better, nice view of the European girls . . . I mean tower ridge :lol:

The best pics remain unpublished :lol: :lol:
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby sloosh » Sat Sep 19, 2009 8:15 am

HighlandSC wrote: The rubbish bins were a kind of large waste paper bin, they varied in shape and size! Just where do all the plastic bottles they were brimming with come from????

Those would probably be from the annual Ben Nevis Race held on 5th Sept.
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby HighlandSC » Sat Sep 19, 2009 8:27 am

Ah well that'd explain it, and probably also the source of all the other non-binned rubbish, and the banana and orange skins dotted about that looked about 2 weeks old!
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby sloosh » Sat Sep 19, 2009 9:49 am

The winner did it in 1hr 32 min :shock:

http://www.bennevisrace.co.uk/

HighlandSC wrote:
Stretch wrote:Ah much better, nice view of the European girls . . . I mean tower ridge :lol:

The best pics remain unpublished :lol: :lol:

I can send you my email... :lol:
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby happyhiker » Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:08 pm

Some excellent photos here!
I'm looking forward to going for it next year :)
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby yokehead » Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:49 pm

Nice report and pics by the way, and congrats on the brocken spectre :)
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby HighlandSC » Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:54 pm

Thanks. Yes the brocken spectre made my day!

Most remember Nevis as a day of watching the jeans and trainers brigade - but for me it'll be where I got my first spectre! Not to mention first cloud inversion....I was spoiled a bit really.... :lol:
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby AndrewP » Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:13 pm

Great pics. I hear that 6/7 days will have cloud on the summit.
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby HighlandSC » Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:44 pm

AndrewP wrote:Great pics. I hear that 6/7 days will have cloud on the summit.


That would agree with everything I've heard about Nevis!
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby Tenbob » Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:29 am

Fantastic broken spectre mate. Still looking for my first. Keep putting the Ben off, as I keep harbouring desires to climb the arete once my skills have developed. But, who knows how long that will take, maybe I should just go for it up the tourist path first and take the arete at a later date.

Was up that neck of the woods last tuesday when I climbed Stob Dearg & Stob na Broige. I'd definitely advise you to try that next - if you get a clear day as I did the views are stunning. Just be prepared for the slog in the black boggy swamps alongside the River Coupall on the way back to the park - you'll defo need your gaiters!

One of these days I'll get my arse in gear and get my reports online. Getting to the point now that I'll need a spare week to get them all on!

Anyway, enough rambling! Great report with some cracking shots. What's next for you?
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby Mrs T » Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:03 pm

Congratulations on the brocken spectre! Still to see one myself...

Tenbob, there is nothing difficult about the CMD route, it's just a long day and of course you'll want a decent weather. So just go for it and don't even think about the tourist path! You've got a decent number of Munros already. Be warned, though, reaching the top will be a shock! We'd seen 3 people (+ 1 dog) the whole day, and then suddenly there were at least a hundred... Can't promise there'll be any eastern Europeans, but you'll definitely get shorts (even skirts), skinny tops and flip flops. As a bonus, you'll also get massive down jackets and funny woollen hats.
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Re: Ben Nevis (on the Mountain Track)

Postby HighlandSC » Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:46 pm

Thanks folks; I know I was extremely lucky to get the Brocken Spectre, especially so quickly in my hillwalking days!

I'll definitely be taking the CMD Arete next time for sure. We took the tourist track as it was a beautiful day, and more importantly it was mid-week. It was busy but nothing of concern - certainly not as bad as some people experience at weekends. There were times it felt like we had the summit to ourselves (as we were hiding in the stone ruins), and moments where the cairn had nobody around it at all. It was fairly relaxed and certainly not mobbed. Also did the route as I wanted to see Nevis in the flesh and to build on fitness, ready for bigger and better things!

Bigger and better things followed soon after, albeit in a lot of cloud!
Mullach nan Coirean & Stob Ban....in the cloud!

Tenbob - it doesn't take too long to do reports. Well not for me anyway as I tend to minimise the story telling (that's what takes most time and effort) and concentrate more on pics with a one liner with each one. Some of the drivel people drone on about sometimes just doesn't need to be there! Equally, there are some very skilled and creative writers that produce great reads that I'm grateful for. I like the mixed approaches we all take to reports :thumbup:

No major plans lined up for this year - I'd love to get out in the ice and snow but that would be over doing it for my limited experience/skills. I’ve got a few plans for the Cairngorms in a couple of weeks. Anything after that will be decided depending on the weather. Thinking of doing a few winter skills courses this year – hit the hills hard in non-winter weather next year – then really get into winter adventures next time around. Watch this space….
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