Ben Nevis

Distance: 10.5 miles
Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

I walked up Ben Nevis yesterday, I set out with my dad but he didn't make it half way and had to turn back. He couldn't lift his legs in the end and fell over twice, so he decided to go back. I think that was less that 2 miles up at about 1600 -1700 feet. I carried on and there was no way in hell I wasn't gonna make it, even if I had to crawl to the top over glass.

In all honesty I didn't think the climb was too bad but this could of been because I was so determined and hyped up to do it. I can't remember ever being out of breath at any point. Normally I race off and end up out of breath but yesterday I paced myself which probably helped. The only bit that was a bit worse was because I had got it in my head that the top was at 4000 ft, so I was thinking I only had a few feet to go then realised it was another 400. Which was mentally hard when you can't see anything for fog/cloud and can't see anyone and on your own.

For some reason I started counting my steps from about 3300 feet, not sure why. Think this was because I knew that if I counted to about 1500 I should be at the top or so I though (aiming for the wrong height. This did seam to make me cover a lot of ground in a very short time and gave me something to focus on.

As I said though in the end it wasn't anywhere near as hard as I was expecting. The only real dissapointment was not doing the route I wanted to do, I decided to do the tourist route in the end for a couple reasons. It had been very bad torrential rain the day before and the tops were covered in cloud. I was also concious that my dad was sitting in the car at the bottom and it was gonna take me atleast another hour to walk the way I wanted. I did think about walking back the other way but you couldn't see on the top only a few feet so thought it was a bit dangerous to try and go down the other route. Nobody else was going that way either :-(

When I got to the top for a few minutes the cloud cleared slightly and I managed to take a few pictures. Most of the pictures I took were from below 3400 feet (cloud level).

In the end I am very happy I did it, but still think I need to go back again sometime to walk along the Arete (I shall not be defeated).

(Above) Looking over towards Loch Linnhe @ about 3000 feet (I think)

(Above) Just about there, you can see the heighest point and shelter towards top right. Yeah Snow :-)

(Above) The top, with ruins of the observatory and the shelter.

(Above) Looking over the edge from the top as the cloud cleared for a few seconds.

(Above) people posing for a photo on the heighest point.

(Above) Walking back down following a foreign couple, had followed most the way up. Past them a few seconds later as they stopped for photos.