What is the average time to climb Ben Nevis?

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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While some trails (The North Face) require specialist knowledge and mountaineering experience, other trails (The Mountain Track) provide more accessible routes to the top. We wouldn't recommend novices take on the harder tracks, but they certainly are able to make it the stunning views atop Ben Nevis.

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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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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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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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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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Can a 60 year old climb Ben Nevis? Take your time and he'll do ok. Go up the tourist path with him. There's room for two abreast on the lower section where someone could stay on his outside.

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Ben Nevis is purportedly the hardest mountain (and highest peak) of the Three Peaks Challenge. That's why people tend to do it first if they're taking the 24 hour challenge.

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Climbing to the top of Ben Nevis is a fantastic achievement – stamina and determination are a must on this challenging trek, but the stunning views of the highlands will be with you from start to finish and will provide a fantastic backdrop to this popular UK trekking challenge!

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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 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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Once called the 'Tourist Path', the main route up Ben Nevis may be extremely popular but it's no walk in the park. It involves 1,352m of climbing over 10.5 miles of steep, rough, rocky terrain, probably taking seven or eight hours. It's only for the fit and well-prepared.

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You can drink from the streams but the water is not tested and there is no guarantee of its purity. 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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