Ben Nevis Hike Scotland Guide
Ben Nevis is the tallest mountain in the UK at 1345 m high and doing the Ben Nevis hike is on many people’s bucket lists. It was definitely on mine and I recently got to climb Ben Nevis in early March to tick it off!
Though we had no views at the top I feel like that really adds to getting the classic Ben Nevis experience since this Munro in Scotland is known for its unpredictable weather. It was very different to my first Munro experience on Ben Lomond!
Thousands of hikers reach the summit of Ben Nevis every year with many doing it as part of the 3 Peaks Challenge where hikers take on Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike in the Lake District and Mt Snowdon in Snowdonia National Park.
Ben Nevis is in the Grampian Mountain range near Fort William and was once an active volcano that exploded and collapsed inwards on itself millions of years ago.
There are a couple of popular ways to get up Ben Nevis with the most popular, and easiest, being the Ben Nevis mountain path. The mountain track or the ‘tourist’ path is well-maintained and relatively wide and is easy to navigate too.
There’s also the harder route on Ben Nevis’ north face. Though I haven’t yet tackled Ben Nevis’ North Face, I have included a few details about it below so you can see if it’s right for you. But do be sure to do additional research on it.
If you’re looking to take on the challenge of the Ben Nevis hike, you’ll find everything you need below from how to get to the trailhead, what to expect on the hike and what to pack for a fun and safe climb on Ben Nevis!
Looking for more munros to bag? Check out Stuc a Chroin near Callander!
How to get to Ben Nevis, Fort William
Most people will choose to stay in Fort William before or after hiking Ben Nevis. As the largest town in the area, Fort William has plenty of hotels and Airbnbs as well as supermarkets and places for drinks and food.
How to get to Fort William
There are many ways to get to Fort William and obviously how to get there depends on where you’re coming from.
If you’re coming from London or nearby for the weekend, I highly recommend travelling on the Caledonian Sleeper train. It’s much more environmentally friendly than flying, includes your night’s accommodation and goes all the way from London straight to Fort William so is easy too!
If you’re coming from Glasgow, expect the drive to be around 3 hours depending on traffic, and slightly longer if you’re coming from Edinburgh.
How to get to the trailhead for Ben Nevis
Getting to the trailhead for Ben Nevis is relatively easy, most hikers to Ben Nevis start from the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre.
There is parking here, though it gets extremely busy during the summer months, so arrive early or walk/cycle or take the bus from Fort William.
When it comes to how to get to Ben Nevis from Fort William, the trailhead is about a 35 minutes walk from the centre of town, or you can get the 500, N47, N46 of 919 buses from Fort William to Ben Nevis.
If this parking is full, you can also park a little further up the road at the Braveheart car park, the Lower Falls car park or, if you’re doing the North Face up Ben Nevis, then park at the Ben Nevis North Face car park.
Parking at the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre costs £8 a day and it’s a good idea to have some coins as the machines don’t always accept cards.
There are toilets at the Glen Nevis visitor centre which are the only ones you’ll see for the duration of your hike. If you’re visiting before April or September, you’ll find the toilets are closed so if you need to go, make sure you step well off the trail and pack out any toilet paper you use – don’t just leave them.
I recommend getting a Kula cloth for wild wees! They’re antimicrobial cloth you can use in place of toilet paper.
Once you’ve parked up, head towards the visitors centre and then cross over the bridge, following signs pointing you hiker’s left onto the Ben Nevis trail.
What to know before hiking Ben Nevis Scotland
Before you set off on your Ben Nevis hike, you should check the weather conditions to make sure doing the hike is both safe and that you’re prepared for the conditions.
When planning your Ben Nevis hike, bear in mind that the weather conditions in Fort William don’t mean the same weather conditions at the summit of Ben Nevis. Plus, the Ben Nevis weather is very changeable and I recommend always packing your waterproofs with you. You never know when it’s going to drizzle or pour with rain and it’s Scotland after all!
To stay up to date with the latest weather conditions, check the Met Office Mountain Weather or Mountain Forecast for Ben Nevis. You can also have a look at the Ben Nevis webcams (though bear in mind these are for the ski resort which is lower down than the Ben Nevis summit).
The average annual temperature at the summit is below 0°C, so it’s important to be fully prepared before setting off and remember to pack your layers! Check out my day hiking essentials.
In addition to checking the Ben Nevis weather, you must always abide by the following:
- Always practice leave no trace ethics and pack out anything you take with you.
- Stick to pre-existing trails to avoid eroding the landscape
- Always pack layers and waterproofs – this is Scotland after all!
- Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
- Make sure you walk with your 10 essentials.
Navigating while on the trail: You can find this hike on AllTrails which is my usual go-to for planning my hikes, navigating, checking trail conditions and, if hiking solo, making sure others know I’m safe. The OS Map app is one of the best hiking apps for trails in the UK and is just like having hundreds of OS maps in your pocket!
When is the best time to climb Ben Nevis?
The best time to hike Ben Nevis is between May and September when you have the best chances of clear skies and reasonable weather conditions. However, in Scotland, one cannot expect consistent and reliable sunshine throughout spring or summer, so it’s important not to assume that the conditions are suitable just because it’s June or July.
If you’re an amateur walker, it’s recommended that you only attempt to hike Ben Nevis during the summer months (June-September). This is because there is less likely to be snow on the trail which can make your hike slippery and dangerous.
The summer months also coincide with the busiest season in the Scottish Highlands, with thousands of visitors going to Glencoe, driving the North Coast 500, or just enjoying Scotland.
If you’re attempting to summit Ben Nevis in winter, you should be an experienced hiker with suitable specialist equipment, clothing, and knowledge. Remember too that you’ll have fewer daylight hours and more likelihood of harsher weather conditions.
Climbing Ben Nevis on the mountain track | How to hike Ben Nevis
Below I’ve provided details on the hike to Ben Nevis via the mountain track which is the route we took in early March.
There is also an overview of the North Face trail up Ben Nevis for those who have the experience to take on that path.
The Ben Nevis visitor centre to Lochan Meall An T-Suidhe
From the car park, make your way toward the visitor centre and follow the signs left for Ben Nevis. You’ll cross a bridge over the river and follow a trail between two fields.
You’ll see the Ben Nevis Inn on your left (which is a great spot for a post-hike pint!) and then cross over a sty to join the main track going up the summit of Ben Nevis.
The path starts to go uphill straight away before gradually becoming more of a moderate climb. The path is easy to follow and not too difficult in terms of terrain though it is rocky and you should be wearing good hiking boots or shoes or trail runners rather than trainers (trail runners have more tread on them!)
You’ll get views from the get-go and even if the summit of Ben Neis is shrouded in clouds (as it so often is), you should be able to get some views of the surrounding valleys and hills.
Continue onwards, stick to the trails until the path flattens out and you can see Lochan Meall An T-Suidhe (also called Halfway Lake).
This is a good spot for a break and some snacks.
Lochan Meall An T-Suidhe to The Summit Plateau
At the Lochan (small lake), follow the path to your right to continue making your way uphill.
Continuing on, the terrain will change from green landscapes to more rocky surroundings, transitioning to rubble towards the final part.
The path zig-zags its way up the mountain and it’s around this point that we began to lose the views we’d been enjoying up until then! It’s also where we had to switch to some microspikes on our shoes for the last part of the hike.
Keep slogging away at this uphill, take breaks when needed and then before you know it you’ll be at the summit plateau with not much left to get to the summit!
Summit Plateau to Ben Nevis Summit
There is a short but steep section that brings you out to the summit of Ben Nevis. Congratulations! You’ve just hiked up to the top of the UK’s highest mountain!
The summit is marked by a trig point and cairns and there’s also The Old Observatory which opened in 1883 and was used to get hourly meteorological data for almost 20 years. These days, it offers shelter in emergency situations.
If you’ve lucked out and you’ve hiked up Ben Nevis on a clear day, you’ll be able to see for miles around you.
While we didn’t luck out, we did get to watch some climbers coming up on the North Face with their ropes, harnesses, ice axes and other mountaineering gear.
We didn’t stay at the top too long, before heading back down the path on the way we came all the way back to the car.
The descent from Ben Nevis is where you might want some hiking poles. It’s a long way and still tiring even though you’re going downhill. Having poles can help take some of the weight off your knees!
Ben Nevis walking route via Carn Mor Dearg Arête
The Carn Mor Dearg Arête, or The North Face of Ben Nevis, is a challenging and rewarding route for experienced hikers both in terms of fitness and skill.
This route follows a ridge with some great views but does require scrambling that’s not for the fainthearted.
The trail starts from the North Face car park at Torlundy and traverses not one but two Munros, the Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis.
This route can also be reached by following the Mountain Track to the halfway lochan and then taking the left fork while the right fork continues along the Mountain Track.
The Carn Mor Dearg Arête is a longer and more strenuous walk than the Mountain Track, taking about 10-11 hours with scrambles across boulders on his version of the Ben Nevis walk.
Stats for the Ben Nevis hiking routes
Below are the stats for two of the main Ben Nevis routes. Of the Ben Nevis walking routes below, the first is the easier of the two.
Also, bear in mind that these times and stats are estimates and should not be taken as gospel. Always do some additional research on the walking routes up Ben Nevis with other websites and maps, such as OS maps.
OS Maps are awesome for hiking in the UK. I’ve never found anything quite like them when in other countries. They have all features like churches, rivers, peaks, viewpoints and more. You can get paper maps (which are great for finding new places), and their app is super useful too.
Ben Nevis via the mountain track (Ben Nevis easy route)
- Ben Nevis hike Distance: 17 km
- Ben Nevis hike time: 5-8+ hours
- Ben Nevis hike elevation gain: 1,341 m
- Ben Nevis hike difficulty: Strenuous
- Trail map via AllTrails+
Walking Ben Nevis North Face | Carn Mor Dearg Arête
- Distance: 18 km
- Duration: 8-10+ hours
- Elevation: 1,542 m
- Difficulty: Strenuous, not recommended for most especially in winter.
- Trail map via AllTrails+
What to pack for hiking Ben Nevis
What to pack for this hike depends on what season you’re hiking in.
- Check out my day hike packing list here.
- If you’re hiking in summer you should pack sunscreen, sunglasses, layers, water and bug spray as well as everything in the 10 essentials for hiking list.
- Here is what to wear hiking in hot weather
- Check out this post on the best leggings for hiking or what to wear hiking in summer for more details and my gear recommendations.
- If you’re hiking in winter after the snow has started falling you’ll need microspikes at the very least. If there is a lot of snow you will probably need snowshoes.
- You should also take plenty of layers including a fleece layer, a puffy insulated jacket and a wind and waterproof outer layer. Hats and gloves are also necessary as well as a good backpack to keep everything in.
- You should also pack water and some snacks too to keep you going as they’re part of the 10 essentials for hiking!
- Planning a hiking date? Check out what to wear on a hiking date but still look cool.
In addition to the above, many people will want hiking poles to help them remain upright in the snow, and to save their knees a bit on the downhill.
In the UK it seems much more common to use mountaineering boots and crampons than it did during my 6 years of hiking in Canada.
In Canada, crampons are typically reserved for serious mountaineers crossing icefields and glaciers and busy, well-trodden paths, like the route up Ben Nevis are doable in microspikes which is what I used and had absolutely no issues with.
However, if you feel uncomfortable at any point, there’s no shame in turning back. Better safe than sorry!
Looking for a great easy hike in Scotland? Check out this Ben A’an hiking guide in the Trossachs!
Where to stay for hiking Ben Nevis
If you’re planning to hike Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, I recommend basing yourself in or around Fort William in the western Scottish Highlands.
From the town centre, you can easily reach the main starting point for the Ben Nevis climb in a little over 30 minutes on foot or it’s just a 5-minute drive away.
We stayed in Fort William for a night having travelled up from Doune where we were staying and our friends coming up from Glasgow. On Saturday we took a walk in Glencoe, stayed in Fort William and then tackled Ben Nevis on Sunday before heading back to Doune and Glasgow afterwards.
Some of the best places to stay in Fort Willam include:
- Ben Nevis Inn & Bunkhouse (right by the trail)
- Black Sheep Bunkhouse is a more budget-friendly option not far from the centre of Fort William
- The Garrison is a stylish hotel in the centre of Fort William that includes a great breakfast.
Final thoughts on the Ben Nevis hike
Hiking Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles, is a challenging and rewarding experience for active travellers and keen hikers.
In this guide to the Ben Nevis hike, I’ve shared my trip on the mountain track to Ben Nevis summit as well as what to pack and where to stay.
Before hiking Ben Nevis, always make sure you’ve packed your required 10 hiking essentials, have plenty of layers and suitable footwear, have checked the Ben Nevis weather conditions and have told someone where you’re going and when they should expect you to be back.
FAQs about hiking Ben Nevis
Where is Ben Nevis?
What route should I take to the Ben Nevis summit?
There are two main routes to the top of Ben Nevis, both varying in difficulty.
The Mountain Path, also known as the Pony Track, Tourist Route or Ben Path, is the most popular and easiest route to the top.
For a challenge, the Carn Mor Dearg Arete route involves a long scramble along the traverse of the arête and is recommended for experienced hikers.
Is climbing Snowdon harder than Ben Nevis?
How hard is it to climb Ben Nevis?
How dangerous is Ben Nevis walk?
How high is Ben Nevis?
Where does Ben Nevis start?
How long to hike Ben Nevis?
Is it easy to walk up Ben Nevis?
How many miles is Ben Nevis hike?
Last Updated on June 2, 2023 by Hannah
Hannah started That Adventurer after graduating back in 2013 and has documented all of her adventures since then. From backpacking South America to city breaks in Europe, a 3 month road trip across the USA in a self-converted van and 6 years living in Canada, you’ll find posts on all of this.
Hannah specialises in active travel and on That Adventurer you’ll find hiking, walking, biking, skiing and all sorts of active travel guides to allow you to see a destination in an adventurous way.
Now back in Europe, you’ll find new guides as Hannah and her husband spend the next year ‘digital nomading’ from Norway to Portugal, Switzerland to Scotland and places in between.
