We managed to get to the summit on Sunday afternoon (my birthday). It was our first 'Arctic' walk, having never really walked in snow more than a few centimetres deep! Also our first time on Ben Nevis.

We regularly tackle 10 mile or more hikes. We did Scafell on a day described as 'Weather conditions were appalling with heavy rainfall.' by the Wasdale mountain rescue, we actually kind of enjoyed the day in the rain. We have done the Yorkshire three peaks too. But this was something else, a mental challenge as opposed to physical.

After setting off from the Glen Nevis visitor centre (£2 for all day parking) , we saw on the signage that they are offering a free Nevis bag tag for walkers as a memory of the walk, so I went back to get two tags. Then a little further on, after crossing the river I remembered my stronger walking sunglasses were back in the car (I was expecting the snow to be very bright), so back I went again.

There were lots of people, who, even in our opinion looked totally unprepared for what we knew was going to be be a tough day out, and beyond anything we'd personally ever experienced. Quite a few started to turn back once they hit the snow line near Red Burn stream, which was quite tricky to get past anyway. Although we each had two hiking poles, we appreciate that crampons and poles are the proper tools for the job.

As we reached the clouds and it started snowing and the path became very quiet, we were taking the proper path with all the switch backs, which I had programmed into my eTrex H GPS. It was later obvious that everyone else who was going up, took the direct route normally used for descent because the deep snow made it usable for ascent.

We sat on a spare jacket in the snow at about 900m to grab a quick bit of food and whilst moving my rucksack around, my OS map in it's case slid back down the mountain. I was sure we wouldn't find it again, so was resigned to calling it a failure. We headed back down the path and saw the map pouch had flown in the air and landed end on in the snow 70m below where I lost it. Although I had the GPS I still wanted the map as backup to continue the route to the top.

Heading back up the tourist path often in knee deep snow, the visibility really worsened to maybe 30 metres. There were no rocks poking up and no horizon, just white everywhere. A really odd feeling. The GPS said we were right over the track with a good signal lock, but looking away down the slope and seeing nothing yet knowing you were so far up was very disconcerting. Although I would defend GPS as great technology, I started second guessing it this time.

Then we got a spot of luck at the final switchback, the cloud cleared and we saw Fort William for the first time in more that an hour. And also saw other walkers taking the direct route to the top (actually a group of scottish lads one in a tee shirt, but all with proper gear too!)

Anyway we followed the footprints and the GPS and got to the summit after another 30 minutes or so. A few groups of ice climbers were sat around the refuge, and as some left, others arrived over the north face! What a mad hobby they have!

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The snow really started to come down, and visibility was bad (in our very limited experience anyway). We stuck around for about 15 minutes, and as the last two climbers left the refuge heading down we followed them , it was getting late (about 4.30pm I think) Being left there without anyone around wasn't something we wanted to experience.

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We would probably feel different if we had ever been to the Ben Nevis summit in clear weather, or ever walked in snow before, or been this high up on a mountain before. We've since seen pictures of the Trig Point and Refuge in the summer! We had no idea the snow was that deep and the structures were that tall!

We followed the switch backs all the way down too, to make it easier for my fiance as she's always happier walking uphill. The way down was even more eventful. I slipped and snapped a hiking pole in protruding rocks, dropped my camcorder in the snow (could have easily landed on rock but didn't). And the other half now has a trapped nerve in her arm and has been told to rest it for two weeks, the pain didn't kick in until the day after the walk.

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That's our story.