Can a beginner climb Ben Nevis?

The first thing to know is that there are two routes up and down Ben Nevis – the Mountain Track (or Tourist Track) and the Carn Mor Dearg Arête which is typically tackled by more experienced climbers. The Mountain Track is doable as a beginner if you have generally good fitness and go prepared for the conditions.



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If you're an inexperienced climber or attempting Nevis for the first time, we'd recommend going with a guide. Not only will they keep you safe while enjoying the challenge, but they'll make the trip way more fun (and you might even pick up some bonus mountaineering skills on the way).

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You need to be reasonably fit before you consider making the ascent, and we wouldn't recommend a Ben Nevis walk for beginners. However, there is a path up Ben Nevis, and you won't need to do any scrambling.

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How long does the walk take? An average time to the summit and back is 7 – 8 hours. Walkers fit enough to try to climb The Three Peaks in 24 hours need to take 5 hours or less. The winner of The Ben Race each September gets to the summit and back in around 90 minutes.

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Don't forget, this is the highest point of the entire British Isles. You'll need good cardio fitness to keep walking uphill for 6+ hours, and strong legs, core, and upper body to carry your stuff.

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Toilet issues Please be discreet with your need to go to the toilet. If at all possible try not leaving excreta on the mountain. There are public toilets at the Glen Nevis visitor centre.

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Be safe on Ben Nevis ! During the winter the mountain is cloaked in snow and ice and in these conditions only mountaineers equipped with ice axes and crampons should attempt the ascent. Winter conditions can occur from October to May.

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How hard is it to walk Ben Nevis? Most beginner to intermediate hikers would classify Ben Nevis as hard. It's certainly not something to take on without any preparation, but it's completely doable as an amazing challenge!

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The North Face of the mountain offers the greatest challenges of all. The Ledge route is a non-climbing route, but it still has some sections of grade 1 scrambles. You may encounter pockets of snow even in early summer, so it's best to have some knowledge of using ice axes and crampons.

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The Gondola transports visitors from 100m to 650m up the mountain and takes approximately 15 minutes each way. The Doppelmayr Gondola system comprises of 80 six seat closed cabins running on a continuous 4.6km steel cable weighing 40 tonnes.

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Just remember that some days there are over 1000 people on the mountain and there are no toilet facilities. To be safe take bottled water, at least 2 litres per person on a sunny day.

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Attempting to climb Ben Nevis without adequate protection, including waterproofs and warm clothing, could result in hypothermia and possibly death.

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Climbing Ben Nevis is free. There is, however, a charge to use the car park at the Glen Nevis Visitor Center, currently, £ 4 per car and £ 10 per minibus / motorhome / coach, per day.

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Take a warm hat and waterproof gloves (spare gloves are also recommended) even on the dry sunny days. Remember the air is much colder on top and it feels even colder if it is wet and windy.

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The classic ridges of Ben Nevis are Castle ridge, Tower ridge, North East Buttress and Observatory Ridge. Although all of these routes are classed as rock climbing, there is a large proportion of the ground which is considered scrambling and only a very short section of climbing.

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Weather on Ben Nevis It is strongly recommended that your first ascent of Ben Nevis be attempted during the summer months (approximately May to September). The chances of reasonable weather over this period are much greater than at other times, and the longer days are definitely reassuring.

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