Ultimate Guide To Hiking Ben Nevis: Practical Tips And Advice

Hiking Ben Nevis is not only a sought after Scottish adventure, but a hiker’s bucket list goal. Ben Nevis is the highest peak in the United Kingdom and one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the beautiful landscapes of Scotland. It’s one of the best things to do in Fort William and one of my favourite hikes in Scotland.

While it’s not the most treacherous walk in the UK, it’s one where you’ll certainly need to be prepared. I climbed Ben Nevis at the beginning of October and faced many challenges on the way. While this famous peak attracts more than 100,000 walkers every year, it isn’t for the faint of heart.

In this guide to climbing Ben Nevis, I’m going to share my personal experiences from conquering this Scottish munro. I’ll share practical advice, hiking tips, and essentially everything you need to know before hiking Ben Nevis.

Hiking Ben Nevis: Practical Info to Know

Ben Nevis (Beinn Nibheis) is one of 282 munros (Scottish mountains) in Scotland. Munros are mountains with a height of 3000 feet or over. There’s a hobby among hikers/walkers in Scotland called “munro bagging” where the goal is to reach the summit of all 282 munros. Ben Nevis is the highest of all the munros, though there are others that are more challenging and less high.

At Ben Nevis, the mountain and the trails are kept as natural as possible. There aren’t any trail markers, painted rocks, and nothing to mark the journey other than the path itself.

On the Mountain Track, the main trail for Ben Nevis, there’s really only one way to get to the top and it’s one pretty obvious path. So, there’s no need for anything manmade to be added to the path (with the exception of cairns near the top, which I’ll talk about later).

I hiked Ben Nevis as part of the Classic Walks of Scotland trip with Intrepid Travel with two amazing, helpful, and knowledgeable guides, John Walker and Ray Allwood. I had such an enjoyable week of hiking with John and Ray, plus the whole group who attended the trip organized through my sister site, Ontario Hiking. We all traveled from Canada to walk the Scottish Highlands together.

John taught me something very valuable that stuck with me through my Ben Nevis climb. When hiking uphill, only go as quickly as you can without getting out of breath and needing to stop. If you’re hiking too fast and then stopping to catch your breath, you’re pushing yourself too hard.

You will save time by hiking at a slower pace without stopping. Once I discovered my pace, even though I felt it was slow, I barely had to stop and I gradually made my way up Ben Nevis. And as it turned out, it wasn’t very slow at all.

Where is Ben Nevis?

Ben Nevis is located in the Scottish Highlands near the town of Fort William. It’s situated at the western side of the Grampian Mountains in the region of Lochaber. Ben Nevis forms a massif (mountain mass) with three other munros that are over 4000 feet tall: Càrn Mòr Dearg, Aonach Beag and Aonach Mòr.

How high is Ben Nevis?

Ben Nevis is 4411 feet (1345 metres) above sea level and it’s the highest peak in the British Isles. It is the highest land in any direction for 459 miles (739 kilometres). Of the 282 munros in Scotland, Ben Nevis is the tallest one. The summit is the collapsed dome of an ancient volcano.

When should I hike Ben Nevis?

Fort William is one of those places where you can experience all four seasons in one day. It can be rainy one moment, sunny another moment, and torrential downpour the next.

There are some Scottish jokes about Fort William. “It only rains twice a year in Fort William. October to May, and June to September”. And another one: “If you can see Ben Nevis, it’s going to rain. If you can’t see Ben Nevis, it’s raining.”

It’s best to realize that it will likely be raining while you’re there, and you likely won’t see any sort of view from the top of Ben Nevis. Now that you’ve accepted that, I will say that the best time of year to hike Ben Nevis is from May to October.

I hiked Ben Nevis at the beginning of October. It was rainy, yes. But, there wasn’t any snow yet. And there weren’t any bugs or midges. Plus, it was not crowded or busy at all.

The most favorable weather might be in July and August, but you’ll encounter many crowds this time of year. I think the best times to walk Ben Nevis are June, September and October, though my vote goes for the end of September and start of October.

How long does it take to walk Ben Nevis?

Hiking to the top of Ben Nevis and back generally takes between 7 and 9 hours. I’m a slow hiker and took my time, and I finished in 7 hours. Some members of our group finished the hike in just over 6 – 6.5 hours. I’d expect it to take anywhere between 7 and 9 hours, especially if you decide to stop for a while at the top for a lunch break.

Do I need to train before hiking Ben Nevis?

I wouldn’t say that I trained really hard before walking Ben Nevis, but you do need to have a reasonable level of fitness. I don’t consider myself to be a super fit person, but I am able to walk for hours at a time without any trouble.

At home in Ontario, we don’t exactly have any mountains to train on, and our hiking trails are more of a walk in the park than the ones in Scotland. If you aren’t able to practice on any inclines for hours at a time, I suggest doing some stairclimbing. Climb some actual sets of stairs up and down or use the stair climber or stepper machine at the gym.

At the very least, I’d attempt to go for a day long hike at home, with or without hills, to see how you manage. The worst case scenario for Ben Nevis would be turning around and heading back if the situation got to be too tough.

How difficult is hiking Ben Nevis?

It is a challenge. Hiking Ben Nevis isn’t the most difficult walk in the world. I wouldn’t consider it to be mountain climbing in the sense that you’re scaling any rock faces or doing any rock scrambles (on the main Mountain Track, anyway). It is a steady uphill climb for the better part of four hours.

Then, you will need to walk for three hours or so back down the mountain. It’s one of the more difficult hikes that I’ve ever completed, but I don’t live in a mountainous area. For those who are used to hiking mountains, you may not find it as tough.

Every year, about 130,000 people walk Ben Nevis. I’ll repeat that it is a challenge, but it’s incredibly rewarding. I am so proud that I conquered Ben Nevis. And then if you really want, you can treat yourself to a t-shirt stating that phrase from one of the souvenir shops in Fort William.

Can I bring my dog to climb Ben Nevis?

There are no rules against bringing dogs to hike Ben Nevis. I would consider your dog’s abilities. Can your dog walk this far of a distance uphill? Would your dog enjoy a 7+ hour walk?

Are there facilities on Ben Nevis?

There are no facilities or restrooms on Ben Nevis. It is kept as close to nature as possible. There are toilets at the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre (open 08:00-16:00) to use before or after your hike.

Can you take a gondola to the top of Ben Nevis?

You cannot take a gondola to the top of Ben Nevis. The only way to reach the summit of Ben Nevis is by foot. There is a nearby cable car, the Nevis Range Mountain Gondola. It’s located on the north face of Aonach Mòr, the 8th highest mountain in Britain. From the Nevis Range Mountain Gondola, you can admire views of Ben Nevis from a distance.

Individual vs Guided Walks: Should I book a guide?

You do not need to book a guide to walk Ben Nevis. It’s possible to do this hike on your own. With that said, I hiked Ben Nevis with a guide and found it to be really helpful. We had two guides with our group as part of my small group trip to Scotland with Intrepid Travel.

I walked Ben Nevis with my hiking guide, John Walker, and he was so helpful throughout the trek. Through cheering me on to loaning me a pair of gloves, he ensured that I made it up and down Ben Nevis safely and happily. It looks like you can hire him for a hiking trip through his website. If you end up hiking with him, let him know that Lauren from Canada sent you his way!

Here are some more options to hire a guide for the day to walk Ben Nevis with you. You can book a group guided hike up Ben Nevis, or book a private guided hike for just you and your group. If you’re a bit nervous or uncertain about climbing Ben Nevis, I’d suggest going with an expert guide.

Hiking Ben Nevis: My Experiences

Okay, now that we’re familiar with all things Ben Nevis, let’s get into the actual hike itself. I’m going to detail everything to know about the Ben Nevis walk itself with my personal experiences. We’ll start with arriving at the base of Ben Nevis and then embarking on the hike.

I’ll divide the walk up into sections as we go. Please note that I don’t have many photos from the last few kilometres of the trek. It was so incredibly windy, rainy, cold and wet that I wasn’t able to take my phone out of my pocket. I did manage to capture a couple photos at the summit itself where you’ll be able to see the weather conditions from my trip, which can be typical!

Where to Start and Where to Park

I started my hike from Glen Nevis at the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre. There is a parking lot at the visitor centre where you can leave your car when walking Ben Nevis. If you’re hiking Ben Nevis on the weekend or the busier summer season, parking fills up fast. I suggest arriving early to ensure you get a spot.

If the main parking lot is full, there is another car park just up the road for Ben Nevis. Furthermore, if you’re hiking during the shoulder seasons (April-June, September-October), I recommend starting your walk pretty early, too. It gets dark out earlier and you do not want to walk back down in the darkness.

As I descended back down Ben Nevis around 3:00pm, I noticed some people ascending that weren’t even close to the halfway point of the walk. I really hope that they turned around at some point because they’d totally end up walking across uneven and steep terrain in the dark.

If you don’t have a car, don’t rely on a taxi pickup. We thought that we’d try calling for a taxi at the end of the hike, but no one wanted to come out to the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre to pick us up. They were simply too busy at that time of day (around 4:00pm) with kids getting out of school, etc. Thankfully, one of the hikers in our group had a car and came to pick us up.

There is a bus stop right at the Glen Nevis Youth Hostel. I suggest waiting for the bus there. You can find the schedule for the N41 bus here. I’d take a look at the bus schedule ahead of time and plan your route. There’s another bus stop right outside the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre, but I’m not sure if regular stops are made there. It might not be as reliable.

The Mountain Path: The Main Route I Hiked

The Mountain Path, the Pony Track, the Tourist Track…these are all names for the same trail that starts at the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre and ventures to the top of Ben Nevis. I prefer the Mountain Track or Pony Track myself. Calling this trail the Tourist Track makes it seem like a walk in the park when the reality is far from it.

Heart Attack Hill

After walking across a short bridge, the incline begins nearly straight away. Our group’s guide called this section, “Heart Attack Hill”. He said that this is a good test of how you’ll endure hiking Ben Nevis. May as well get the steepest part out of the way first, right?

If you’re just about spent after climbing this first very steep section, there is a path near the top of it that takes you right back into Fort William. There’s no shame in turning around if by this point you discover that walking Ben Nevis is not for you.

I meandered around many curves as I walked up the seemingly endless hill. However, taking a quick stop for a drink of water and to catch my breath was an equally good time to admire the incredible vistas of the town and countryside down below.

The “Halfway” Loch

This next section of the trail evens out a little bit. Eventually, I ascended above the valley of the Red Burn. On this plateau, check out the scenery of Loch Meall an t-Suidhe, also known as the halfway loch.

I’m not sure if this is the actual halfway point or not, but I felt pretty accomplished for making it this far. Upon continuing the hike, I realized that it’s doubtful that this is actually the halfway mark, but maybe somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 way point. It was at this point that I started adding some layers and waterproof jacket because the wind picked up and it started to rain.

While there aren’t any trail markers and the path itself is pretty obvious, there is one point where you might make a wrong turn here. As you walk along the plateau with the loch on your left, you will reach a spot where the trail bends sharply to the right and up the mountain.

Make sure you walk to the right and continue walking uphill. There is a path that also ventures straight forward. Do not take that path. It does not lead anywhere and it will result in a dead end.

As I continued up Ben Nevis, I came across a small cascading waterfall. This is the Red Burn stream, and it’s a good spot to fill up your water bottle (provided that your bottle has a filtration system). The Red Burn stream flows across the trail. I had to walk across some rocks and through the water in order to cross it.

Eight Zigzags of Ben Nevis

Next up: the famous zigzags. There are eight zigzags in total as you climb Ben Nevis, each getting progressively shorter. Believe me, I counted each and every zigzag. The weather conditions got worse as my hiking progressed.

Sometimes, the mountain offered some reprieve from the wind and rain. Other times, I was left to the elements. The wind picked up and the rain actually hurt as it pelted my face and body. Finally, I conquered these eight zigzags.

Stone Cairns

By this point, it got very foggy, rainy and windy. My visibility was reduced. It wasn’t too much farther to the top. My guide, John informed me that there are steep cliffs here and many have perished.

There are stone cairns lining the path. I stuck by these cairns to ensure that I wouldn’t end up too close to the edge. These are really useful in foggy and dreary weather. They’re also helpful when there’s snow because the trail becomes completely buried. Only the cairns guide the way.

The Summit, at Last!

After about 2km of hiking along the cairns, I walked a little bit farther to reach the summit. There is a stone marking the summit of Ben Nevis and this is where you absolutely should get a photo if you can. I did it – I climbed the highest peak in Scotland, the highest peak in the United Kingdom!

There wasn’t any sort of view from the top of Ben Nevis and it’s rare to see a view from the summit. If the weather is clear for you at the top of the peak, consider yourself to be incredibly lucky.

There’s also an old weather observatory from the end of the 19th / start of the 20th century. Weather readings used to be taken at this old observatory shelter.

The summit of Ben Nevis is very rocky. It’s a good place to stop for a rest and have lunch if the conditions aren’t too bad. In my case, the wind was absolutely wild and the rain never let up. I had a couple bites of a snack and was ready to head back down. As soon as I stopped, I was freezing and more uncomfortable.

Back Down the Mountain

It took me about four hours to hike to the top of Ben Nevis and about three hours to hike back down. Hiking up and down was simply a matter of “slow and steady”. On the way up, I walked a slow and steady pace as to not lose my breath. On the way down, I kept to a slow and steady pace to watch my footing and not slip.

Walking Ben Nevis can be as much a mental feat of endurance as a physical one. I had to be mindful of every step. Ben Nevis is covered with rocks of various shapes and sizes. Some of them are pointy and not the best to walk on.

The most dangerous section while walking down was none other than Heart Attack Hill. While on an open area of the mountain, the wind was so fierce that it blew me straight backwards and I landed on my bum. I’ve never been blown over by the wind before, so I suppose there’s a first for everything.

Then, I nearly slipped more times than I can count on the wet rocks on Heart Attack Hill. It’s imperative that you have the best hiking boots. While I thought my hiking shoes were excellent, I think they could have had a better grip. I make some recommendations for hiking boots towards the bottom of this article.

At last, I made it! I conquered Ben Nevis. It took me about seven hours, which is an average amount of time. I’ve read that it can take the average hiker between 7 and 9 hours to hike Ben Nevis, so I felt very accomplished. There were some members of our group that hiked Ben Nevis in about 6 to 6.5 hours, which was exceptional!

Alternate Route: Carn Mor Dearg Arête

Carn Mor Dearg Arête is a second route you can take to get to the summit of Ben Nevis. It is a more challenging path and by far a less traveled one. It involves hill climbing and rock scrambling. This is for experienced hikers and climbers only.

For those thinking of taking the Carn Mor Dearg Arête walking route, you’ll be treated to some of the best views of the mountain’s north face. This is a far longer trek than The Mountain Path, taking 10 to 11 hours to complete. As I didn’t hike this particular trail, I can’t provide you with any recommendations other than to visit the Walk Highlands site for more details.

Remember to Leave No Trace

Ben Nevis is kept as naturally as possible and let’s keep it that way! Please pack out what you bring in. This means any wrappers, plastic bags, bottles, packaging and fruit peels and cores. Please do not scatter bits of banana peel or orange peel because it is biodegradable.

It does not belong on the peak and will take many months to break down. Can you imagine if every hiker left trash like this behind? Please clean up after yourself and carry out what you carry in.

How to Prepare Before Walking Ben Nevis

Do not simply show up to Ben Nevis in shorts and flip flops expecting a walk in the park. You need to be prepared before you conquer this peak. I’ve got some recommendations for you, especially after hiking Ben Nevis and realizing that I could have been a little more prepared myself.

Check the Weather Forecast

There are some days with unfavorable weather and some days with downright treacherous weather. On bad weather days, hiking Ben Nevis can be dangerous. For this reason, it is imperative that you keep an eye on the weather forecast before you head out. Take a look at the Met Office and Mountain Weather Information Service for up-to-date weather information.

If the weather takes a turn for the worse as you’re hiking Ben Nevis, there’s no shame in turning around and heading back down. It’s much better than getting yourself into a dangerous situation and becoming stuck. There are many mountain rescues each year on Ben Nevis and sadly, over 100 fatalities in total (and possibly more unreported ones). Being safe is always the number one priority.

What to Wear and Bring

It’s important to dress in layers and wear the proper footwear for tackling this munro. Wear a rugged hiking boot that’s suitable for walking across steep and rocky surfaces.

I must admit that my hiking shoes weren’t the greatest. While they were well broken in and comfortable (you will be walking for 7+ hours), they weren’t the best for walking across jagged rocks and slippery surfaces.

In particular, when you come back down the mountain, it might be slippery. As I approached the bottom (coming back down the “Heart Attack Hill” portion, I kept slipping with nearly every step and this added so much time to my walk. I almost fell on so many occasions.

For this reason, choose a rugged hiking boot (3 season boot) that can withstand uneven, muddy and slippery surfaces. Having waterproof boots helps immensely, too. While there are many suitable hiking boots and we all have our favorite brands, I recommend checking out the Merrell Siren 4 Mid Gore-Tex hiking boots (and here are the men’s hiking boots).

Keep Your Loved Ones Informed

Before you go hiking anywhere, let someone else know where you’re going. This is important for solo hikers, but also for those hiking in pairs or in a small group. Let your loved ones or anyone know where you’re going, when you’re going, and when they can expect you to return.

If something happens to you while you’re away, at least someone will have tabs on you. If you don’t return on time or by nightfall, they’ll be able to call for help.