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For many months now the fact that I've never climbed Ben Nevis has been one of those that has rankled a little. Pretty much everyone has climbed the Ben, it seems, often when they were a kid. People that don't go hillwalking have climbed it. So it was time to put that right.
This weekend was going to be cut short by me having to work on Sunday, so we couldn't do as much on the hills as usual. Seemed reasonable then to head up to Steall meadows and camp out overnight on the friday, then get cracking up the Ben on Saturday morning. Took ages to get up the A82 - stuck behind giant road working vehicles at Onich for a bit, but finally got parked at the end of Glen Nevis and set off with the tent, through clouds of midges - that must be the worst I've seen them all year. An airless, damp night - midge heaven! Going for a pee in the middle of the night resulted in being encased in a swarm of the minibeasts
It rained overnight and the hills were shrouded in mist when we dared poke our heads out of the tent. Views were not going to be on the agenda today. Drove down to the Visitor Centre, which was already packed at 10am.
P1030760 by
23weasels, on Flickr
This was going to be an unusual experience - normally we see few if any folk when out walking, but today we could have been on Sauchiehall Street. Interesting combinations for clothing and footwear abounded - including Ugg boots and a lad carrying a 2 gallon plastic tank of water in his arms
Quite a few seemed to be using the walk as a hangover cure given the fumes being exhaled
Allison (AKA "Sickly Child of WH") was in the unusual position of overtaking people - albeit folk in plimsolls and mutant tights - I asked her what that felt like. She threatened to poke me with her walking pole
View back down Glen Nevis
P1030763 by
23weasels, on Flickr
After a somewhat frustrating bimble along up the crowded mountain track it was a pleasure to head off past Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe and be the only walkers around.
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
The mist kept the buttresses shrouded from our eyes, but their looming presence could still be sensed. We got to the CIC hut after 2 hours or so and had something to eat in the smirry rain.
P1030766 by
23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
Next it was up the steep bouldery side of Carn Mor Dearg - there didn't seem to be any path so we just picked our way straight up.
P1030773 by
23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
Made for the top of Carn Dearg Meadhonach which I initially mistook for the CMD summit then promptly corrected my error and headed along in the mist to the simialr peak of CMD and treated to a double raven flypast
P1030777 by
23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
Next up came the Arete. Back last year when we started off hillwalking, the CMD Arete was spoken of in slightly hushed tones, a bit like the AE ridge, something to sort the men out from the boys, or the weasels from the stoats. As it was, we were both well up for a bit of ridge fun. Although it had been raining on and off the rocks weren't that wet or slippy and we just stuck to the crest. And there were midges! Up here!! OK there was virtually no wind, but this is surely a bit too rarified air for them. Isn't it?
P1030784 by
23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
Allison did the leading and coped pretty well, despite bashing her thigh off a sharp edged rock - that'll hurt
One of the pleasing things about the ridge was that it kept going, providing entertainment for a while. It was a bit disappointing not to be able to look over to the cliffs of Nevis, which remained stolidly behind cloud, but the experience was a pleasure nonr the less. Towards the end of the ridge we met a few guys we'd chatterd to earlier on the tourist path - they were up from Yorkshire /London and doing the ridge the other way. They also seemed to be having fun.
Us and some of the "six-egg crew"
P1030790 by
23weasels, on Flickr
Near the end there was one short flat section where there was a bit of exposure and I did do a bit of a monkey walk on hands and feet across it, then - shame - no more ridge.
P1030793 by
23weasels, on Flickr
A bouldery section of a couple of hundred metres led up through the mist to the top of the Ben and - people. Oh, and cairns and buildings and plaques and litter. Lotts of litter.
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23weasels, on Flickr
On top of the world - well the UK!
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23weasels, on Flickr
We popped up to the trig point then headed back for the tourist track down, passing a guy in a rhino suit and an entire brass band - did feel sorry for the guy with the tuba on his back - bet that wasn't something he thought he'd be doing when he joined the band
P1030797 by
23weasels, on Flickr
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23weasels, on Flickr
The return to the carpark was just as excruciating as the walk up the main path had been. I was surprised to see legions of folk still heading up the hill after 5.30 - but I suppose that's a weekly occurrence. Decided against a pint in the Nevis Bar, which was heaving, and set off down the road for a bite eat in the Clachaig, which was also busy. A glorious sunset was visible in the rear-view mirror as we headed through Glencoe - gonna be a good day tomorrow and I'm stuck at work