I've been arranging this trip for ages and it exceeded all expectations so I thought i'd share it with you all....

I've done tons of walking in the Lake district and Snowdonia, and this bank holiday I decided to organise my first jaunt up into Scotland. I've had Ben Nevis hanging over me for a couple of reasons, I climbed Snowdon and Sca Fell Pike years ago and wanted to complete the 'three peaks', its the biggest in the brittish Isles and with the Ben out the way I could turn my attentions to some of the more interesting monsters Scotland has to offer...However, I did not want Ben Nevis to be my first Munro so decided on the CMD ridge route up (I LOVE ridge walks!).

So Friday rolled around, set out straight from work, picked up a couple of crazy old friends from Glasgow and away we went! One wild camp, early start and a saussage butty later we were soon making our way along the tourist path.



The route up to CMD branches left from the tourist path and swings aroung the base of Ben Nevis towards a BMC hut situated at the bottom of the North face of Ben Nevis. The views of the north face of Ben Nevis were simply stunning



The accent left up to CMD has nothing going for it, just a long sustained 650m climb of around 45 degree incline. But half and hour or so later and my first Munro was under my belt.The views back at the Ben were just incredible





CMD arete is one of the best ridge walks I have ever done, rivaled only by Crib Goch, fantastic views, not too much exposure and it goes on and on...





And now the final climb up to the summit of Britains highest mountain. We were all prity knackard by the point and it was a bit of a slog, but it was so worth it







We decended via the tourist path and had a good few pints and some grub in the pub at the bottom of the tourist path to celebrate concouring the Ben and Criag's birthday (he neglected to tell anybody it was his bday until we got to the pub!)

That night we all wild camped in Glen Coe and got up early to drive back. Once we droped off Eilidh and Jamie in Glasgow me and Craig headed back to Warrington. We were just passing through Carlisle when itchy feet and decided to try and find a Bothy in Moresdale in the Lake district I had been thinking of staying in. Neither of us had stayed in a bothy before and didnt know what to expect. We set off in the dark with 20kg back packs full of wood for the 5 mile walk to the Bothy. What would we find? Would there be any room? would the bothy be in a usable condition? (idiots abuse bothies in England )

When we arived the Bothy was cold, dark but most importantly empty! We had the whole place to ourselves and it was HUGE! could easily sleep 20-30 people. half an hour later and I had lit my first fire using a flint and birch bark, the fire was roaring and the whiskey flowing....







A late night and an even later morning ensued, before a fourth consecutive saussage and bean breakfast (by this point the saussages were smelling more than a little funky , but not as funky as the bothy ) Monday was spent walking over Branstree and Selside Pike, two Wainwrights I had not been over before. Back home a much needed shower, my mums sunday dinner and a 12 hour kip completed one of the best weekends of my life. Here's to many more trips to the highlands and nights spent in bothies in the near future!