𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒆𝒓, 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒃, 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓, 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐@𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈.𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒃
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐡 (𝟏𝟏𝟕𝟗𝐦, 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐨 𝐓𝐨𝐩) - 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐠 (𝟏𝟐𝟐𝟎𝐦, 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐨) - 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥
𝐁𝐞𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬 (𝟏𝟑𝟒𝟒𝐦, 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐨) - 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥
The plan is to climb our local hill from the East, by way of the Carn Mor Dearg Arête (CMD). This approach to Ben Nevis is far more interesting than the tourist route, with the most striking features of this iconic massif in view all day.
Start from the North Face CP at Torlundy, NN145764. Head SE on the track across the river for 200m, turning S onto a footpath which heads uphill and crosses a level track. Fork right and zigzag up through coniferous forest to a bridge and dam across the Allt a’ Mhuilinn. Continue S to the Guides’ CP, where a stile gives access to the open hillside. Follow the path beyond to a junction at WP NN152⁰⁰744¹⁴ on the 340m contour.
*Fork left and head ESE on a path, indistinct and boggy at first, but improves as it gains height, leading to the summit of Carn Dearg Meadhonach. Descend S and follow the ridge up to Carn Mor Dearg. Descend SSW, holding to the crest of the ridge and traverse the entire Arête, curving S at first, then SW to low point before climbing and curving W, then NW up to the summit plateau of Ben Nevis. The pathᵉˣ on the map is difficult to follow among the huge boulders lying on the SE aspect of the hill.
From the Ben Nevis Summit, descend W on the tourists’ path and follow it down to a junction just E of the head of Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe. Continue N to the next junction, taking the left fork to the foot of the lochan. The path ends here. Continue N across moorland to a deer fence and follow it NE to the W bank of the Allt a’ Mhuilinn. Cross the fence on a stile and follow the river bank downstream to cross the bridge below the dam and rejoin the outward track back to Torlundy.
*An alternative route to Ben Nevis that includes the CMD Arête uses Ledge Route, the easiest scrambling route on the North Face, grade 1 with a 3-star rating:- Remain on the Allt a’ Mhuilinn path to reach the CIC Hut. Turn SW and climb up into Coire na Cisteᵉˣ, crossing to the N side of the main burn issuing from its lochans. Ahead, from right to left are the huge Carn Dearg Buttress, the deep Number 5 Gully, and the smaller Moonlight Gully Buttress. Make for a WP NN162¹¹719²⁰, off to the left of the latter. Locate a faint path and follow it rightwards, across the buttress and on an exposed ledge, into Number 5 Gully. Across the gully, the faint path continues NE up a huge sloping terrace to reach the top of Carn Dearg Buttress. Now turn W and climb the ridge above. The crest of a narrow wall with a long vertical drop on its left side can be avoided by way of the less interesting narrow gully on its right side. With the main difficulties passed, continue the scramble up to the plateau, at alt 1214mᵉˣ.
** Carn Dearg summit is 200m S of here, in a commanding position overlooking the North Face.
Head SSW descending about 30m to the cairn at the top of Number 4 Gully, then S, curving E up the slope of the plateau to converge with the tourist path leading to the summit of Ben Nevis. Take great care in poor visibility as some gullies incise deeply into the plateau. Leave the summit on the path going SE. This becomes ill-defined as it descends among boulders until it curves NE onto the Carn Mor Dearg Arête. Follow this splendid ridge curving N up to the Munro summit of Carn Mor Dearg. Continue NNW to the Munro Top of Carn Dearg Meadhonach. From here a substantial path leaves the ridge and slants down to converge with the outgoing path alongside the Allt a’ Mhuilinn.
** For a shorter day, or if time/daylight is an issue, omit the Munros and CMD Arête:- From Carn Dearg summit, descend SW to join the main tourist path and return to Torlundy following the principal route above.
𝟏𝟕𝐊𝐦, 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟓𝐦 𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭
*𝟏𝟖𝐤𝐦, 𝟏𝟓𝟐𝟔𝐦 𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭
**𝟏𝟔𝐤𝐦, 𝟏𝟏𝟔𝟕𝐦 𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭
You may also like the following events from Nevis Hillwalking Club:
- Next month, 8th March, 08:45 am, Stob an Fhuarain & Sgurr na h-Ulaidh in Cladich
- Next month, 14th March, 08:45 am, Creag Pitridh, Geal Charn & Beinn a' Chlachair in Aviemore
- Next month, 28th March, 09:15 am, Carn Dearg, Carn Sgulain & A’ Chailleach in Aviemore
Also check out other
Business events in Cladich,
Trips & Adventurous Activities in Cladich.
