Ben Nevis

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The highest peak in the UK had been calling me since I climbed Mount Snowdon around a decade ago but Fort William is a long way from north Derbyshire so it’s been on the back burner, simmering away. 

Mark and I split the driving between us and had half a day in Glasgow (visit a new UK city) before arriving at the Ben Nevis Hotel and Leisure Club. 

The next morning, we drove a short distance to the foot of ‘The Ben’ as it’s referred to locally and set off just before nine. The way was signposted and it is impossible to get lost as the way is so well trodden and there were many people ahead who had beaten us to it. In fact, we were only about ten minutes in when we saw a man coming down who’d started at ten-to-five as he had a train to catch. That’s impressive. 

I’d been told, much as I had with Mount Snowdon, that it wasn’t difficult and it was just a long walk. I beg to differ! Nine and a half miles is not long and it was difficult; at times, anyway. As I said, it’s impossible to get lost but there were some very rocky parts of the path and a few steeper sections. Sadly, I have no pictures of these sections as I was powering through. The weather was mostly great but we did have a ten minute snow storm that stung and again, I did not get the camera out! 

The very last part and much of the summit was covered in snow and this made it magical and it really felt like an achievement to be standing in the clouds after three hours and twenty minutes of hard work. 

After a bite to eat, the clouds lifted and revealed the most glorious views of land and sea and we made our way back down. 

We returned to the hotel and made full use of the slippers and robes and headed to the pool for a few meager lengths and a long sit in the jacuzzi. 

Did someone say Scafell Pike?