Can inexperienced climbers climb Ben Nevis?

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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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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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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Climbing Ben Nevis is the equivalent of climbing about 6,725 steps or nearly 700 flights of stairs, so you need to be relatively fit and have the appropriate clothing. It is also worth noting that some people believe coming down is just as hard as going up. The biggest factor that affects the difficulty is the weather.

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If you've ever watched an Everest summit documentary you'll have been made aware of 'Altitude Sickness'. Here in the UK altitude sickness isn't really 'a thing' because the UK's highest mountain (Ben Nevis, Scotland) is 1,340 meters high.

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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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How many miles is the ascent? The walk to the top of Ben Nevis is around four miles (about eight and a half to get up and back down). We'd always recommend taking the same route for your descent.

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The ordinary route up Ben Nevis, the 'Mountain Path' (also known as the 'Pony Track' and, misleadingly, the 'Tourist Path') is a technically easy path as these things go. Someone with a reasonable level of walking fitness should be able to ascend in 4-5 hours and descend in a further 2-3 hours.

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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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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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Walking poles are recommended but not essential. Many people find they really benefit from the support of walking poles on the way back down. It normally feels much harder going down that it does going up, and walking poles can help a lot.

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North Face car park is the starting point for the Carn Mor Dearg Arete route up Ben Nevis. While considered to be one of the most spectacular hill walks in the country, it's a long and extremely challenging route even by the standards of experienced hill walkers.

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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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For novices, we'd recommend the 'Mountain Path' (also known as the 'Pony Track' or 'Ben Path'). It's the simplest way to the top, and also the most popular. You'll usually start at Achintree on the east side (if you've parked at the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre or youth hostel, you'll start at west side).

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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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Yes, you can wild camp near Ben Nevis, but you must follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Wild camping, also known as dispersed camping, is legal in Scotland, including in the Ben Nevis area. However, you should camp responsibly and adhere to the following guidelines: Camp away from buildings, roads, and farmland.

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