Ben Nevis & Carn Mor Dearg

Required

Distance:

17

Ascent:

1600

Time:

8 Hours plus

Route Type:

circular plus same way return

Gridpoints

Gridpoints:

NN12547282 Start from Parking at Nlen Nevis Visitor center in Glen Nevis 35 56.8092 -5.07098

NN13327199 Climb the tourist path zig zaging up 200 56.8021 -5.05762

NN14537232 Take the left fork which is the main path leading to the CIC hut 600 56.8055 -5.03807

NN15517295 Drop down heather slopes to "Allt a'Mhuilinn" 580 56.8116 -5.0225

NN16077302 Cross the "Allt a'Mhuilinn" and then climb heathery slopes upto the main ridge 520 56.8124 -5.01339

NN17027308 Once on the ridge stay on it's crest onto "Carn Dearg Meadhonach" 1000 56.8134 -4.99789

NN176726 284 1179 56.8097 -4.98736

NN17567241 1170 56.8076 -4.98858

NN177721 282 1220 56.8052 -4.98536

NN17617189 Descend along this narrow rocky ridge know as the Carn Mor Dearg arete 1120 56.8029 -4.98739

NN17497134 From a col head over onto another col & then onto the southern ridge of The Ben 1030 56.7979 -4.98896

NN17117102 Continue up the south ridge of Ben Nevis 1120 56.7949 -4.99494

NN16867105 Ascend onto the summit of Ben Nevis 1200 56.7951 -4.99905

NN166712 173 1344 56.7967 -5.00271

NN16507120 Do not navigate direct to descent path as there's a gully 1340 56.7963 -5.00505

NN16217123 Continue to descend over boulder ridden path 1310 56.7964 -5.00981

NN14687186 Pass a small stream 700 56.8015 -5.03528

NN14537232 Return back down the path to the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre 600 56.8055 -5.03807

Ratings

Technical:

hands required for at least one move

Strenuousness:

full day

Textboxes

This is a long hard route [1] taking you around the Ben Nevis [2] horseshoe to reach the highest peak in the UK and take in Carn Mor Dearg [3] munro number 9 on the way. The route is a refreshing change if you've only climbed the tallest mountain by the Ben Nevis Tourist Route [4] as it's away from the crowds at least until you reach the summit [5]. The path [6] vanishes on the higher rocky slopes and navigation can be problematic.

This route does true justice to Britains highest peak where the tourist route fails.

Alternate Title:

The Ben Nevis Horseshoe Circuit

Terrain:

Tough long route [1] over a variety of terrain including paths, rough heathery ground, and exposed scrambling [7] on the exposed Carn Mor Dearg [3] arete [8].

When nearing the summit [5] it's dangerous to navigate to the summit as on the north side is the impassably steep north face and to the south, the ground drops away steeply to Coire [9] Eoghainn and Five Finger Gully. It's outlined in detail in Ben Nevis Safety [10]

Parking:

Good sized car park with toilets, picnic tables at the official Glen [11] Nevis visitor centre.

Information:

The pony track [12] which you descend on was built in 1883 for the Ben [13] Nevis summit [5] observatory where meteorologists made hourly observations there for 21 years.