UKC

Hi everyone, this is my first post so bare with me.
Right so 3 friends and myself are looking at going up and around ben nevis over 3 days, wild camping for the 2 nights in the next week or two for my 21st. We are moderately experienced and have, or are in the process of buying some good equipment. We are just after a route card from fort william and back, and a bit of advice as we've never been up there before.
Cheers!

In reply to AdEvo: It'd be helpful to know a bit more. Do you want to go up and over mountains or along the glens? Or would you like a high plan A and a lower plan B to suit the weather? What, for you, is a decent sized day out in terms of ascent, distance etc?

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com: We're not overly fussed, probably around 15km days. We want some decent views as we're doing it for charity and want some good snaps for it. Not really sure on ascent, anything that dosent involve having to actually climb using ropes. I read abit on Carn Mor Dearg which sounds a really good one to walk.

In reply to AdEvo:

Day 1 - Traverse of the Mamores (West to East first half) with high camp.
Day 2 - Traverse of the Mamores (second half) with low camp at Steal.
Day 3 - Ben Nevis via CMD arete.

In reply to AdEvo: If you're fit - and you'll have to be at this time of year - then you could try:

Day one: Ben Nevis eatward over the Aonachs (how to get off the Aonachs is worth researching in advance)

Day two: east over the Grey Corries ridge then south to the Mamores

Day three: west over the Mamores and back to the start.

That'll be a long trip, probably too long, but there's challenge aplenty in it and lots of scope for variation as you wish.

Whatever you do, good luck and good weather.

T.

In reply to AdEvo: Good suggestions so far. A slight variation on these would be the so-called Lochaber Traverse over Grey Corries, Aonachs and Ben Nevis. Can do it from Spean Bridge in the north, or ...

Get the train to Corrour in Rannoch Moor, then:

Day 1 - a short day (you've got to get there first)
Past south end of Loch Treig to Lairig Leacach. Camp or bothy.

Day 2
Grey Corries from Stob Coire na Ceannain in the east to Sgurr Choinnich Beag.
Then Aonach Beag (access to this from the col to the east isn't obvious in poor visibility. Some research would be helpful). Then Aonach Mor. Then backtrack slightly to descend to the col at the head of the Allt Daim (this is steep, nasty if you pick the wrong line). Camp.

Day 3
East ridge Carn mor Dearg
CMD Arete
Ben Nevis
Down tourist track to Ft.William

Train home

If the above route (or something like it) was your plan A you'd still have the option of a bad weather plan B along the glens from Corrour to Glen Nevis, and on to Ft.william. That's still very impressive country and would be enough of an adventure in really bad weather (watch out for river crossings if it's in spate)

Here's a route card on the Carn Mor Dearg Arete and Ben Nevis: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=47
And here's one on the Grey Corries:
http://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=321

Add the Aonachs to those two and you could piece together the route I've outlined from the map easily enough.

Full description of the Lochaber Traverse also in this guidebook: http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/612/title/great-mountain-...

In reply to AdEvo:

of your planning on camping high make sure your gear is adequate. every chance of snow ans freezing temps over the next couple of weeks? traverse of the mamores then drop down into glen nevis and over cmd arete would be a great trip.

i take it you can navigate and have experience on featureless ground?

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com: Sounds good to me, i'll start doing some research on the route. Whats the weather and temps like this time of year?
We live in the midlands...sigh, and train prices from here are pretty expensive £130+ for a return, so we're looking at driving up to fort william (about 8-9 hours drive) is there anywhere in fort william we can leave the car for a few days where it will be safe. If not any other way of getting up there?

In reply to AdEvo: You could consider driving only as far as Bridge of Orchy (plenty of parking) and just take the train a couple of stops to Corrour if you like. Then train or bus back to BofO from Ft.William at the end of the trip.

Weather - well, it's getting fairly chilly but what happens in the next couple of weeks is anyone's guess. If you're packing for the trip then I'd reckon on lots of wind, rain, fog, possibly some wet snow on the tops... gloves, hats, reasonable sleeping bags all required. You might be lucky though - it could be nice crisp autumn sunshine and clear skies. Pot luck, as ever.

In reply to AdEvo: I was up there a few weeks ago and it was snowing.
More than likely it will be wet and cold and bright sunshine in between!!!

There are many places to park in Glen Nevis... best bet for Mamores and Ben Nevis is the top car park.

Euge