Ben Nevis - parking/toilets

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 Nutkey 05 Mar 2019

Planning on going up Ben Nevis with my 70 yr-old mum in May. Have done hardly anything in Scotland so:

1) On a random weekday in May (not bank holidays/half term), let's suppose good weather, what time should I get to the North Face carpark? And if it's full, what's the best fallback? Park in Ft William and get the 919?

2) Looks like there's no toilets at the carpark - what is there en-route via FtW?

3) Are there any actual difficulties on the CMD route? Have checked photos and it doesn't look like it...

 acrkirby 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

Only ever get on the ben in winter so cant help with some of this but:

2. No toilets in the car park and none from fort william, its only about 10 minutes down the road from fort william so if you need to go, stop at the last garage out of town

3. None that i would consider worth talking about, its like a slightly longer but easier striding edge, main problem is how horrible the approach is after leaving the main path (boggy, steep, rocky)

Have you considered the pony track path? a gentler path up may be easier on the 70 year old and a pub at the bottom, although if she feels fit the cmd is far more fun once actually on the ridge so go for it if she feels able!

 Ben_Climber 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

Without making any ability/age presumptions, are you looking for the easiest route up?

The CMD arête can be spicy if you haven't done much similar before.

 Harry Jarvis 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Ben_Climber:

> Without making any ability/age presumptions, are you looking for the easiest route up?

> The CMD arête can be spicy if you haven't done much similar before.

I must admit that echoes my thoughts. It may be better, as suggested by ackirby, to aim for the pony track, in which case parking is either at the Visitor Centre or the Youth Hostel, both in Glen Nevis. There are toilets at the Visitor Centre. 

 TobyA 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

There's a couple of garages down towards Fort William with loos. Whether you end up buying a can of coke or a ginsters pastie to be a "customer" is up to you! I've got my coffee boost from them in the past while doing a loo stop.

CMD arete is great but relatively rough going (as is the slog from the end of it up to the top of Ben Nevis) - just vast amounts of static, big scree - no real path there from what I remember. I think an experienced hill walker, with a head for heights would be OK, but its surprising how much bigger a day on Ben Nevis feels compared to say Snowdon. It all depend on how much you and your mum have done in the past as to how you'll find it I think.

It is great though!

 skog 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

Heading from the North Face car park up Carn Mor Dearg, then round the Arete on to Ben Nevis, then down again, is all very straightforward technically - just a little very easy scrambling at a couple of points on the Arete. However, a lot of the ground is very blocky and jarring, and you're starting from near sea level and going over two Munros - about 1500m total ascent.

Quite a number of 70-year-olds would have no bother with this, but a lot would find the descents, in particular, taxing. Probably the worst section for this is the Ben Nevis side of the Arete, and the slopes above that, so I would aim to be going up those rather than down (so doing Carn Mor Dearg first).

Just doing the Pony Track from the car park in Glen Nevis (the normal start for those walking up the hill) is substantially easier in this regard, but it's a much less interesting route, so it depends on your Mum (and you).

As for when you should start, well - when do you want to finish, and how fast do you expect to be? How long have you taken to do something we can use as a benchmark? It isn't going to get dark until very late, and even then it won't be very dark unless it's overcast, so time limits are really down to you. It'll probably take you between 6 (very fast) and 12 (quite slow) hours to do the circuit via Carn Mor Dearg, but even that's a guess.

OP Nutkey 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Ben_Climber:

> Without making any ability/age presumptions, are you looking for the easiest route up?

> The CMD arête can be spicy if you haven't done much similar before.

OK, the obligatory "we won't kill ourselves" bit.

No, I'm not looking for the easiest route (subject to weather). Mum isn't a female Joss Naylor, but she has just been up Kilimanjaro. She's flying over specifically to go up Ben Nevis with me, and this is probably a one in a lifetime opportunity for us to do a good hike together.

I don't know really know what she's like with exposure so I intend to stop off in the Lakes on the way up and find out. I'm thinking I might take her up Halls Fell Ridge - if she doesn't like that, I suspect she won't like the CMD either. And if she does, we can go down Sharp Edge if it's dry, or avoid it if she doesn't fancy it. I can give her a confidence rope if need be, or even rig up a belay, though I can't see why that would be necessary on the CMD. I think the biggest problem is likely to be the descent. I have no real idea how long it will take us - she does walk fast, but we will plan for a long day out. I will make sure we have enough gear to survive a night out, and I have experience of navigating in the dark (but it's May in Scotland!) and clag including getting lost and relocating. 

One more question - assuming we get off the hill in a reasonable time on day 1 - say < 10 hours, any suggestions for something for day 2? Thinking of 4-6 hours since we'll need to drive South afterwards.

 skog 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

> One more question - assuming we get off the hill in a reasonable time on day 1 - say < 10 hours, any suggestions for something for day 2? Thinking of 4-6 hours since we'll need to drive South afterwards.

Nip up to the beaches between Mallaig and Arisaig, or at Samalaman by Glenuig.

Or if you're still feeling spry, walk in to Peanmeanach, have a poke around and walk back out.

 jonnie3430 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

Curved ridge on the Buachaille, followed by a trip to the newly refurbished kingshouse hotel for snacks. And stay in the clachaig in between.

 jonnie3430 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

Descent being down the tourist path then from the half way lochan back to the dam? It's fairly boggy but not very slow.

 jay lafferty 05 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

I did Ben Nevis via CMD last week, I'm fit and out in the mountains most weekends....One of the toughest days iv had out in a long time.

Removed User 05 Mar 2019
In reply to jay lafferty:

At a guess I'd have thought a bit over 6000 ft of ascent.

The alternative of missing out Carn Mor Dearg and gaining the CMD arete from Corrie Leis is not something I'd take my mother up. It's a steep scree/boulder slope.

 Bob Aitken 06 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey:

> One more question - assuming we get off the hill in a reasonable time on day 1 - say < 10 hours, any suggestions for something for day 2? Thinking of 4-6 hours since we'll need to drive South afterwards.

Buachaille Etive Beag in Glencoe might fit the bill, a fairly high startpoint and an enjoyable traverse linking the two tops, with great views on a fine day.   The open rib left of the burn that comes down just east of the car park gives a more interesting and less trampled way up the north-east end of the ridge, then return by the path from the col.

 IPPurewater 06 Mar 2019
In reply to Nutkey

There are toilets in the car park in Glen Nevis, which serves the tourist path.

 Harry Jarvis 06 Mar 2019
In reply to IPPurewater:

And on the subject of toilets, are there toilets in Morrisons? There certainly are at the the M&S food hall on the way north out of town. 

 The New NickB 06 Mar 2019
In reply to Harry Jarvis:

I don't think I've used them, but the Morrisons has a cafe, so must have toilets.

 skog 06 Mar 2019
In reply to Harry Jarvis:

There are toilets in Morrisons, yes - they're very handy.


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