Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis
Highest point
Elevation	1,344.527 m (4,411.18 ft)
Prominence	1,344.527 m (4,411.18 ft)
Isolation	738.62 km (458.96 mi)

Location of Ben Nevis NN166713

Ben Nevis (or Beinn Nibheis in Scottish Gaelic) is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is in the Grampians range, situated in the west of Scotland, close to the town of Fort William, in Lochaber, Highland. It is one of 284 Munros (mountains in Scotland that reach an elevation of 3,000 feet - equivalent to 914.4 m - or more).

The draw of the highest peak in the British Isles attracts over 100,000 ascents a year. A significant number of these visitors have little experience of mountains, and many are caught out each year by the quickly changing weather. Between 1990 and 1995 alone there were 13 fatalities on the mountain. (Eight of these were due to falls while rock climbing.)

The origin of the name Ben Nevis is unclear. The word ben is certainly from beinn, the Gaelic word for "peak", and Ben Nevis is sometimes referred to as 'The Ben'. Possibilities for the meaning of nevis include 'venomous' (from nimheil), 'burst' or 'flow' (from neb) and 'brow of keen air' (from neamh meaning 'keeness of air' and bathais meaning 'brow'). A locally popular suggestion that the name derives from nèamh meaning 'heaven' is rejected by etymologists.

Ben Nevis is one of three British mountains climbed as part of the (National) Three Peaks Challenge.

Weather

Ben Nevis's altitude and maritime location can lead to unusually poor weather conditions which can pose a danger to ill-equipped walkers. In an average year the summit is covered by cloud (for at least part of the day) on 355 days, sees 261 full gales, and receives 4,350 mm of rainfall, compared to only 2,050 mm in Fort William, just a few miles away and about 600 mm in Inverness, Edinburgh and London. Rainfall on Ben Nevis is about twice as high in the winter as it is in the spring and summer. In poor visibility navigating safely off the summit plateau is notoriously difficult, and it is necessary to take precise compass bearings to avoid the cliffs.

Snow can be found on the mountain all year round, particularly in pockets at the foot of the north-facing cliffs.

Ascent routes

The first path up the Ben was constructed in 1883. It was designed by local headmaster, Colin Livingston, and cost £800. The bridle path was built to let ponies make deliveries to the newly constructed summit observatory. This relatively simple route to the summit, now known simply as the 'Ben Path', and commonly referred to as the 'tourist route', begins at the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre about one mile (1.6 km) from Fort William town centre, and a short distance up the mountain is joined by a path from the youth hostel. Another popular route is from Steal further up Glen Nevis, it is shorter and steeper, and tends to be used by climbers with a modicum of experience.

The continuation round the cirque to Càrn Mòr Dearg via the Càrn Mòr Dearg Arête is also popular with strong walkers, though the steep descent from Ben Nevis summit can require very great care in winter conditions.

The summit

Controversy continues to rage about the placing of navigation poles near the summit. The poles were placed upon the advice of Lochaber Mountain Rescue, as an aid for climbers or walkers in bad weather—the descent from the summit plateau having proven deadly in foggy conditions. Currently they have been cut down by environmentally conscious climbers who object to the aesthetic intrusion.

A meteorological observatory on the summit was established by Clement Lindley Wragge in 1881, who climbed the mountain daily to make readings, and permanently manned between October 1883 and October 1904. In September 1894, CTR Wilson was employed for a couple of weeks as temporary relief for one of the permanent staff. It was during this sojourn that his attention was caught by the optical phenomenon known as the Brocken spectre. His subsequent experimental work aimed at understanding this eventually led to his invention of the cloud chamber.

The view

Being the highest ground in Britain, the panorama from the summit is extremely extensive. The view includes such hills as the Skye Cuillin, Sgurr na Ciche, Liathach, Carn Eige, Morven, the Cairngorms, Lochnagar, Ben Lawers, Ben Lomond, the Isle of Arran, the Paps of Jura and Barra Head, with the views extending up to 120 miles in good conditions. See the 'External links' section for the full view.

The Ben Race

The first few runs up the Ben were solos runs. Of these, the first recorded was in 1895. William Swan, a hairdresser/tobacconist from Fort William, ran from the old post office in 2 hours 41 minutes. In 1897, Spencer Acklom recorded a time of 2:55, and later William MacDonald from Leith improved the record to 2:27. Two months later Swan again took the record with a time of 2:20, and in 1896 MacDonald improved this to 2:18.

The first competitive race was held in 1899. 10 competitors set off from the Lochiel Arms Hotel in Banavie. The winner was Hugh Kennedy, a gamekeeper at Tor Castle.

The 1903 race was from Achintee and to the summit only. It was won in just over an hour by Ewen MacKenzie from Achintore, the observatory roadman. That year, there was another race, from the new Fort William post office, and MacKenzie lowered the record to 2:10. Hugh Kennedy was in second place. MacKenzie's record held for 34 years.

The race now starts from Claggan Park, and the route is about 4 miles shorter than in the early years.

The current record for men is 1 hour and 25 minutes, and 1 hour 43 minutes for women.

Other facts

Ben Nevis consists of igneous rock dating from the Devonian period of geological history.

There is a lochan, Lochan an t-Suidhe, half way up the Ben.

The north face attains a maximum height of 2,000 feet (600 m) and extends for 2 miles (3 km) and has many famous mountaineering routes, from Tower Ridge (grade II) to Centurion (grade VIII.8). This face holds snow until quite late in the year, and in a good year routes may remain in winter condition until mid-spring.

A peak in New Zealand's Remarkables range of mountains is named after Ben Nevis.

Ben Nevis is also a brand name of a whisky distillery in the nearby town of Fort William.

Ben Nevis is also the name of the ship that carried a congregation of Wendish settlers to Texas in 1854.

Ben Nevis has recently been in the news due to the amount of litter on the walk to the summit. It was first highlighted by Radio 5 Live in 2005. Robin Kevan, a retired social worker from mid Wales who is also known as 'Rob the Rubbish' for his efforts to clean up the countryside, then drove to Ben Nevis and cleaned the mountain himself, resulting in much media coverage and a concerted clean up effort.

On 17 May 2006, a piano that had been buried under one of the cairns on the peak was uncovered by the John Muir Trust. The piano was believed to have been carried for charity by removal men from Dundee over 20 years earlier.

Photo gallery

• 
  On the 'Ben Path', steps are provided for some steeper sections
• 
  The arête from Càrn Mòr Dearg is popular with strong walkers
• 
  Ben Nevis: the summit is out of sight to the left, the neighbouring peak of Carn Mor Dearg is visible to the right
• 
  Ruins of the observatory on the summit of Ben Nevis

See also

• Geology of the United Kingdom
• John Muir Trust

External links

• Computer generated digital panoramas from Ben Nevis: North South index
• Details and route plan for Ben Nevis
• Nevis Partnership - Environmental and visitor management in the Nevis area
• Webcam of Ben nevis