Walkhighlands

This is the route description:


I went up the tourist route on 30th april. It was late when I started and I could enjoy a lovely sunset near the top.

It was quite cold and windy at the summit.
Slightly on the minus side I think. Then I descended about 15 minutes from the summit, rolled out the mat and slept there under the open sky just in the sleeping bag until morning. It was fun meeting hundreds of people going up as I was going down then, on 1th may. Them probably thinking I am a rare early morning bird. (But I am not.) This was my first Munro, and the only one in dry weather without mist so far,(After 3-4 Munros). This report is maybe late, but I was not sure how to submit reports at that time.

There is a good path up the hill.


View of the western Mamores.


Sunset.


Still patches of snow near the summit. The temperature is below zero and it's quite windy conditions.


Summit pic.


A little waterfall.



Morning view from my home without roof.


Some springflowers.


Part of the cultural landscape.


In the end some information.




And thats all from Ben Nevis for now.

superb pictures Jon. I love the wild camping but am always too much of a softie to ditch the tent - what if it rains or gets cold?

mrssanta wrote:What if it rains or gets cold?

I agree with you, then it's better to have a tent. But I have a good sleeping bag for winter use. And on this clear night it was some few minus degrees I believe.

I think I would take the extra 1-1.5kg per person for a tent.
It is not only for the rain, I also keeps wind off your cheeks. And it increases the temperature you are "sleeping in".
But great if you manage to do this without a tent.

Turin wrote:It is not only for the rain, It also keeps wind off your cheeks.

I was just trying out a new pretty advanced sleeping bag. I bought it for a snowcave trip, and it was good for that purpose. This is what the advertisement says in Swiss german:
"Der erste wasserdichte Daunenschlafsack, bei dem auch der Kopfbereich vor Nässe, Schnee und Regen geschützt ist."
But I am still reluctant to let it rain on it. I haven't used it too much in summer. I enjoy very much when I have a tent with me too. It's freedom and safety. But then I bring an easier sleepingbag. Sometimes though I like to have nothing between my eyes and the stars. And to be honest, on this night, as the place was exposed, it was a little too much wind to say it was a supercomfortable sleep.
There is a shelter for emergency on Ben Nevis' summit too. But it sleeps only two or three, and you can never know if it's already occupied.