Yes I have climbed Ben Nevis in Scotland...........well sort of. Let me explain.
We had to go to Scotland last November (2024) for a funeral. The last couple of days we were in Scotland we went to Fort William to have a short break. Neither of us had ever been before. Despite it being the end of November we were quite lucky with the weather. The scenery was gorgeous driving up there from the border area.
The next day we drove to Ben Nevis (only a few minutes away) and as we were standing on that bridge a couple of young guys were coming back across the bridge. It was before lunch time and they had climbed up Ben Nevis and come back down at that point. They'd obviously started early.
They showed us video's of the summit and it was covered in snow; so yes they had climbed it. They were on the way to the Lake District and hoped to climb Skiddaw in the Lake District later that day. They were also saying they had talked to a guy when they were coming down and he was going to camp up on the top of Ben Nevis that night. Rather him than me; as it was forecast for rain and snow for the rest of the day. Rain on the lower ground, snow on the higher.
After talking to those young guys I felt as though I had experienced the whole climbing the Ben Nevis thing without having to actually do it. Mind you there was never, ever going to be a chance of us climbing up that!!!
If anyone is heading to Fort William we stayed in the Cruachen Hotel and it was super. Walking distance to everything. The rooms were comfy. The breakfast was good and the price wasn't bad either. We also ate in the bar onsite both nights. Staff were really nice also.
10 comments:
Good to know you had a good breakfast at a reasonable price. Thank you for sharing this journey.
I was in Scotland in July 2023, it was damp and cool then. Loved Oban, we stayed at "The Scot" hotel, and climbed up to McCaig Tower and also had a delicious meal of seafood.
I've been to Oban! My friend and I took a bus tour and it was one of the stops. Obviously I never climbed Ben Nevis (and don't remember if we saw it or not).
I would like to climb like you did.
I'll have to check out that hotel, as we would like to stay for a longer period of time in Oban
very friendly people I find.
yep, it was the best way to climb a mountain through the eyes of others!!
Oban is where my Mother's Scots family comes from. I have always wished that we had gotten there on our visit. The one place I really felt at home was in the Highlands.
God bless.
I was reading that sign that said 7 hour round trip walk and I'm sure that is the time if you're in tip top shape. It would probably be 9 hours for me and that would kill me. I can see why the one man was willing to camp up there over night, just to do the walk in two days :) Hope he had a pup tent and a warm sleeping bag.
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