Climbing Ben Nevis, 1-day ascent in Scotland
Join David, an AMI/MIA-certified mountain leader, for this scenic and fun 1-day experience climbing Ben Nevis. Make it to the highest point in the United Kingdom, enjoying panoramic views and visiting the ruins of an observatory en route.
Private
Highlands
1 Day
All year
High
Beginner
Highlights
- Enjoy the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands.
- Summit the highest peak in the United Kingdom.
- Visit the ruins of an observatory and small hotel at the summit.
Description
Climbing Ben Nevis – the highest peak in Scotland as well as the whole of the United Kingdom – is the ultimate way to spend a day out in the Highlands!
Rising to 1,344 metres (4,411 feet) in elevation, Ben Nevis may not sound very tall, but do not be fooled; the hike begins from sea level and is quite steep.
However, the impeccable panoramic views (weather permitting, of course) are more than enough reward for making it up to the summit of Britain!
Our adventure begins from the Ben Nevis Inn in Glen Nevis. From here, we will start by hiking around the side of Meall an t-Suidhhe, crossing several streams en route and enjoying incredible views back over Glen Coe.
Scenes from iconic movies, such as Harry Potter and Brave Heart were shot in this exact spot!
From here, we will turn a corner and begin to ascend toward Lochan before the path flattens again.
At about 600 metres (1,960 feet), the path splits into two: one heading around the north face of the mountain and the other headed around the south face. We will take the latter, which is known as the Pony trail.
From here, we will continue to ascend up the zig zags. As we go, the terrain will slowly shift from vegetated slopes to loose scree.
After about eight switchbacks, we will arrive at one end of the summit and walk across the relatively flat top to the north end of the summit, where we will find the ruined observatory and small hotel.
From the top, we will enjoy great views of the surrounding landscapes and mountain ranges, including Glen Nevis, the Mamores and Glen Coe.
After eating our lunch (not included), we will begin to make our way back down and head back to the Ben Nevis Inn where we will say our goodbyes.
So what are you waiting for? Book now for this scenic and fun 1-day adventure climbing Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands!
If you like the look of this trip, but want to try something a bit more challenging, then I think you may also enjoy my 1-day winter ascent of Ben Nevis!
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Permit and entrance fees
- Mountain guide expenses
Equipment you will need to bring
Water bottle
Backpack
Sunglasses
About the guide
David
Mountain Leader
Growing up in Kent and gaining a BSc Hons degree in Geography from the Uni of Portsmouth, the decision was quickly made to head from the flat lands of the south to the mountains of Scotland.
David has over 15 years experience in the Scottish Highlands, both leading people and on personal trips, in summer and winter, walking, climbing and camping. Over the years he has also had several Alpine trips gaining several 4000m summits and 2 trips to the Himalayas up to an altitude of 6000m.
David holds the Summer Mountain Leader Award, Winter Mountain Leader Award, Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor and is working towards the Winter Mountaineering and Instructor.
Languages
English
Certificates
AMI MIA
What people are saying about Explore-Share
Man
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
Valeriya
You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.
Joshua
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
Cami
Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.
4.8
Read all our verified reviews
Join our newsletter!
Stay up-to-date on the best adventures.