Old page wikitext, before the edit (old_wikitext ) | '{{Infobox mountain
| name = Ben Nevis
| other_name = ''Beinn Nibheis''
| photo = BenNevis2005.jpg
| photo_caption = <small>Ben Nevis from [[Banavie]]. The summit is beyond and to the left of the apparent highest point<small>
| photo_size = 300
| elevation_m = 1344
| elevation_ref =
| prominence_m = 1,344
| prominence_ref = <small>[[List of mountains of the British Isles by relative height|Ranked 1st]] in [[British Isles]]</small>
| parent_peak = ''none'' - HP [[Great Britain]]
| map = Scotland
| map_caption =
| label_position = right
| listing = [[Munro]], [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]], [[List of Scottish council areas by highest point|Council top]] ([[Highland (council area)|Highland]]), [[List of Scottish counties by highest point|County top]] ([[Inverness-shire]])
| translation = Venomous mountain ''or'' mountain with its head in the clouds
| language = [[Scottish Gaelic language|Scottish Gaelic]]
| location = [[Lochaber]], [[Highland (council area)|Highland]], [[Scotland]]
| lat_d = 56.796803
| long_d = -5.006007
| coordinates_ref =
| grid_ref_UK = NN 166 712
| topo = [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] ''Landranger'' 41, ''Explorer'' 392
| first_ascent = 17 August 1771, by James Robertson
| easiest_route = [[hiking|Walk]]
}}
'''Ben Nevis ''' ({{lang-gd|Beinn Nibheis}}, {{IPA-gd|peˈɲivəʃ|pron}}) is the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]] and the whole of the [[British Isles]]. It is located at the western end of the [[Grampian Mountains (Scotland)|Grampian Mountains]] in the [[Lochaber]] area of the [[Scottish Highlands]], close to the town of [[Fort William, Highland|Fort William]].
As is common for many [[Scottish mountains]], it is known both to locals and visitors as simply '''the Ben'''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ben Nevis, or the 'Ben' as it is fondly known locally|url=http://www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/mf_bennevis.html|publisher=Visit Fort William Ltd |accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ben Nevis is almost always referred to by climbers as simply The Ben (Ben meaning Mountain)|url=http://www.takeupthechallenge.com/pages/page-nevis-history.htm|publisher=The Ben Nevis Challenge |accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref> It attracts an estimated 100,000 ascents a year,<ref name="JMT">{{cite web |url=http://www.jmt.org/ben-nevis-estate.asp|title=Ben Nevis owned by the John Muir Trust|accessdate=2006-11-05|author=John Muir Trust}}</ref> around three-quarters of which<ref name="Strategy">{{cite web |url=http://www.nevispartnership.co.uk/pdf/newnevis_strategy_summary.pdf|title=Nevis Strategy|accessdate=2006-11-05|author=The Nevis Working Party|format=PDF|year=2001}}</ref> are made using the well-constructed Pony Track from [[Glen Nevis]] on the south side of the mountain. For climbers and [[mountaineering|mountaineers]] the main attraction lies in the {{convert|700|m|adj=on}} high cliffs of the north face; among the highest cliffs in the [[United Kingdom]], they harbour some classic [[scrambling|scrambles]] and [[rock climbing|rock climbs]] of all difficulties, and are one of the principal locations in the UK for [[ice climbing]].
The summit, at 1,344 metres (4,409 ft) above sea level, features the ruins of an [[observatory]], which was permanently staffed between 1883 and 1904. The [[meteorology|meteorological]] data collected during this period are still important for understanding Scottish mountain weather. [[C. T. R. Wilson]] was inspired to invent the [[cloud chamber]] after a period spent working at the observatory.
== Etymology ==
"Ben Nevis" is an [[Anglicisation|anglicism]] of the [[Scottish Gaelic language|Scottish Gaelic]] name "Beinn Nibheis". "Beinn" is the most common Gaelic word for "mountain", "Nibheis" is variously understood, though the word is commonly translated as "malicious" or "venomous".<ref name="Butterfield 96">Butterfield, ''The High Mountains'', p. 96</ref> An alternative interpretation is that "Beinn Nibheis" derives from "beinn nèamh-bhathais", from "nèamh" "heavens, clouds" and "bathais" "top of a man's head". A literal translation would therefore be "the mountain with its head in the clouds",<ref name="Murray"/> though "mountain of Heaven" is also frequently given.<ref name="Butterfield 96"/>
== Geography ==
Ben Nevis forms a [[massif]] with its neighbour to the north-east, [[Càrn Mòr Dearg]], to which it is linked by the Càrn Mòr Dearg [[Arête]].<ref name="OS">Ordnance Survey ''Landranger'' 41.</ref> Both mountains are among the nine in Scotland over {{convert|4000|ft|sig=2}}; [[Aonach Beag]] and [[Aonach Mòr]] also being located on the Nevis massif, with [[Ben Macdui]], [[Braeriach]], [[Cairn Toul]], [[Sgor an Lochain Uaine]] and [[Cairn Gorm]] being located in the [[Cairngorms]].
[[File:Ben Nevis massif.PNG|thumb|left|Western flank of the Nevis massif; from [[Sgùrr Dhòmhnuill]].]]
The western and southern flanks of Ben Nevis rise {{convert|1200|m}} in about {{convert|2|km}} from the floor of Glen Nevis – the longest and steepest hill slope in the UK<ref name="Murray">W. H. Murray, ''The Companion Guide to the West Highlands of Scotland''</ref> – with the result that the mountain presents an aspect of massive bulk on this side. To the north, by contrast, cliffs drop some {{convert|600|m}} to Coire Leis. This [[Cirque|corrie]] contains the Charles Inglis Clark Memorial Hut (known as the CIC Hut), a private [[mountain hut]] located at {{convert|680|m}} above sea level, owned by the [[Scottish Mountaineering Club]]<ref name="CIC">{{cite web|url=http://www.smc.org.uk/Huts/CIC.htm|title= Charles Inglis Clark Memorial Hut (C.I.C.) |accessdate= 2007-11-12 |author= Scottish Mountaineering Club website|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070915100543/http://www.smc.org.uk/Huts/CIC.htm |archivedate = September 15, 2007|deadurl=yes}}</ref> and used as a base for the many [[climbing]] routes on the mountain's north face.
In addition to the main 1,344 m (4,409 ft) summit, Ben Nevis has two subsidiary "tops" listed in [[Munro's Tables]], both of which are called Càrn Dearg ("red hill").<ref name="Munros">{{cite book | name=D.A. Bearhop | year=1997 | title=Munro's Tables | isbn=0-907521-53-3 | publisher=Scottish Mountaineering Club & Trust | author=revised and edited by Derek A. Bearhop.}}</ref> The higher of these, at {{convert|1221|m}}, is situated to the north-west, and is often mistaken for Ben Nevis itself in views from the Fort William area. The other Càrn Dearg (1,020 m) juts out into Glen Nevis on the mountain's south-western side. A lower hill, Meall an t-Suidhe ({{convert|711|m}}), is located further west, forming a saddle with Ben Nevis which contains a small [[loch]], Lochan an t-Suidhe. The popular tourist path from Glen Nevis skirts the side of this hill before ascending Ben Nevis's broad western flank.
=== Geology ===
Ben Nevis consists mainly of [[igneous]] rock from the [[Devonian]] period (around 400 million years ago), [[intrusion|intruded]] into the surrounding metamorphic [[schist]]s; the intrusions take the form of a series of concentric [[ring dike]]s. The innermost of these, known as the Inner Granite, constitutes the southern bulk of the mountain above Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, and also the neighbouring ridge of Càrn Mòr Dearg; Meall an t-Suidhe forms part of the Outer Granite, which is redder in colour. The summit dome itself, together with the steep northern cliffs, are composed of [[andesite]] and [[basaltic]] lavas. The mountain has been extensively shaped by [[glaciation]].<ref>McKirdy, Alan Gordon, John & Crofts, Roger (2007) ''Land of Mountain and Flood: The Geology and Landforms of Scotland''. Edinburgh. Birlinn. Pages 114-6.</ref><ref>Gillen, Con (2003) ''Geology and landscapes of Scotland''. Harpenden. Terra. Page 80.</ref><ref>{{cite journal | author=Averis, A. B. G. and Averis A. M. |title=A survey of the vegetation of Ben Nevis Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation, 2003-2004 |url=http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/commissioned_reports/F02LD01.pdf |format=PDF |year=2005 |journal=Scottish National Heritage Commissioned Report |volume=090|accessdate=2006-12-11}}</ref>
=== Climate ===
[[Image:Ben Nevis south face.jpg|thumb|The steep south face of Ben Nevis from [[Sgurr a' Mhàim]]]]
Ben Nevis's altitude, [[oceanic climate|maritime]] location and topography frequently lead to poor weather conditions, which can pose a danger to ill-equipped walkers. According to the observations carried out at the summit observatory from 1883–1904, fog was present on the summit for almost 80% of the time between November and January, and 55% of the time in May and June.<ref name="Roy">{{cite web|url=http://www.meteohistory.org/2004polling%5Fpreprints/docs/abstracts/roy2_poster.pdf|title=The Ben Nevis Meteorological Observatory 1883-1904|accessdate=2006-11-27|author=Marjorie Roy|year=2004|format=PDF |work=|publisher=International Commission on History of Meteorology}}</ref> The average winter temperature was around {{convert|-5|C}},<ref name="Roy"/> and the mean monthly temperature for the year was {{convert|-0.5|C}}.<ref name="Murray 221">Murray, ''Companion Guide'', p. 221</ref> In an average year the summit sees 261 gales,<ref name="Murray 221"/> and receives {{convert|4350|mm}} of rainfall, compared to only {{convert|2050|mm}} in nearby Fort William<ref>{{cite book|author=Eric Langmuir|year=1995 |title=Mountaincraft and Leadership (Third edition)|publisher=SportScotland, Edinburgh|isbn=1-85060-295-6}}</ref>, {{convert|840|mm}} in [[Inverness]] and {{convert|580|mm}} [[London]]. Rainfall on Ben Nevis is about twice as high in the winter as it is in the spring and summer. Snow can be found on the mountain almost [[Snow patches in Scotland|all year round]], particularly in the gullies of the north face – with the higher reaches of Observatory Gully holding snow until September most years and sometimes until the new snows of the following season.
== History ==
[[Image:Ben Nevis and Fort William from west.jpg|thumb|right|Ben Nevis and Fort William, seen from across [[Loch Linnhe]].]]
The first recorded ascent of Ben Nevis was made on 17 August 1771 by James Robertson, an [[Edinburgh]] [[botany|botanist]], who was in the region to collect botanical specimens. Another early ascent was in 1774 by John Williams, who provided the first account of the mountain's geological structure.<ref name="Miller">{{cite journal |author=Suzanne Miller |year=2004 |title=Ben Nevis Geology |journal=The Edinburgh Geologist |volume=43 |pages=3–9}}</ref> [[John Keats]] climbed the mountain in 1818, comparing the ascent to "mounting ten [[St Paul's Cathedral|St. Pauls]] without the convenience of a staircase".<ref name="Hodgkiss 117">Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 117</ref> It was not until 1847 that Ben Nevis was confirmed by the [[Ordnance Survey]] as the highest mountain in Britain, ahead of its rival [[Ben Macdhui (Scotland)|Ben Macdui]].
The [[#Observatory|summit observatory]] was built in the summer of 1883, and would remain in operation for 21 years. The first [[trail|path]] to the summit was built at the same time as the observatory and was designed to allow [[pony|ponies]] to carry up supplies, with a maximum gradient of one in five.<ref name="Roy"/> The opening of the path and the observatory made the ascent of the Ben increasingly popular, all the more so after the arrival of the [[West Highland Railway]] in Fort William in 1894.<ref name="MacLennan"/> Around this time the first of several proposals was made for a [[rack railway]] to the summit, none of which came to fruition.<ref name="Hodgkiss 117"/>
In 2000, the Ben Nevis Estate, comprising all of the south side of the mountain including the summit, was bought by the Scottish conservation charity the [[John Muir Trust]].
== Ascent routes ==
[[Image:Ben Nevis Tourist Route.jpg|thumb|left|The lower part of the Ben Path, maintained at a high standard]]
The 1883 Pony Track to the summit (also known as the ''Ben Path'', the ''Mountain Path'' or the ''Tourist Route'') remains the simplest and most popular route of ascent. It begins at Achintee on the east side of Glen Nevis about 2 km (1.5 miles) from Fort William town centre, at around 20 metres above [[sea level]]. Bridges from the Visitor Centre and the [[youth hostel]] now allow access from the west side of Glen Nevis.<ref name="OS"/><ref name="Butterfield 97">Butterfield, ''The High Mountains'', p. 97</ref> The path climbs steeply to the saddle by Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe (also known as the 'Halfway Lochan') at 570 m, then ascends the remaining 700 metres up the stony west flank of Ben Nevis in a series of zig-zags. It is allegedly well-made and maintained throughout its length, but the loose scree, rocks and pebbles, especially on the path's upper reaches, can be hazardous and slippery. Thanks to the zig-zags, the path is not unusually steep apart from in the initial stages, but inexperienced walkers should be aware that the descent is relatively arduous and wearing on the knees.
[[Image:Carn Mor Dearg arete.jpg|thumb|right|The CMD Arête under deep snow in spring, from the summit of [[Càrn Mòr Dearg]]]]
A route popular with experienced [[hillwalking|hillwalkers]] starts at Torlundy, a few miles north-east of Fort William on the [[A82 road]], and follows the path alongside the Allt a' Mhuilinn. It can also be reached from Glen Nevis by following the Pony Track as far as Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, then descending slightly to the CIC Hut. The route then ascends Càrn Mòr Dearg and continues along the Càrn Mòr Dearg Arête ("CMD Arête") before climbing steeply to the summit of Ben Nevis. This route involves a total of 1,500 metres of ascent and requires modest scrambling ability and a head for heights.<ref>Butterfield, ''The High Mountains'', p. 98</ref> In common with other approaches on this side of the mountain, it has the advantage of giving an extensive view of the cliffs of the north face, which are hidden from the Pony Track.<ref name="Butterfield 97"/>
It is also possible to climb Ben Nevis from the Nevis Gorge car park at the head of the road up Glen Nevis, either by the south-east ridge or via the summit of Càrn Dearg (south-west). These routes do not require scrambling, but are shorter and steeper, and tend to be used by experienced hill walkers.
== The summit ==
[[Image:War Memorial, Ben Nevis.jpg|thumb|left|The summit war memorial, October 2006]]
The summit of Ben Nevis comprises a large stony [[plateau]] of about {{convert|40|ha|-1}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9078533|title=Ben Nevis|accessdate=2006-11-25|work=Encyclopædia Britannica}} (Subscription required for full access.)</ref> The highest point is marked with a large, solidly built [[cairn]] atop which sits an Ordnance Survey [[trig point]].
The ruined walls of the observatory are a prominent feature on the summit. An emergency shelter has been built on top of the observatory tower for the benefit of those caught out by bad weather, and, although the base of the tower is slightly lower than the true summit of the mountain, the roof of the shelter overtops the trig point by several feet, making it the highest man-made structure in the UK. A [[war memorial]] to the dead of [[World War II]] is located next to the observatory.
On 17 May 2006, a piano that had been buried under one of the cairns on the peak was uncovered by the John Muir Trust, which owns much of the mountain.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1776987,00.html |title=Piano found on Britain's highest mountain |accessdate=2006-06-22 | location=London | date=2006-05-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/4994552.stm |title=New twist in Nevis music mystery |accessdate=2006-06-22 | date=2006-05-18}}</ref> The piano is believed to have been carried up for charity by removal men from [[Dundee]] over 20 years earlier.<ref>{{cite news | publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/4998440.stm |title=Trust names Ben Nevis 'piano men' |accessdate=2006-08-15 | date=2006-05-19}}</ref>
The view from the UK's highest point is extensive. Under ideal conditions, it can extend to over {{convert|190|km}}, including such mountains as the [[Torridon Hills]], [[Morven, Caithness|Morven]] in [[Caithness]], [[Lochnagar]], [[Ben Lomond]], [[Barra Head]] and to [[Knocklayd]] in [[County Antrim]], [[Northern Ireland]].<ref>Viewfinder Panoramas: [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/NEVIS-North.gif North], [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/Nevis-South.gif South]. Retrieved on 25 November 2006.</ref>
=== Observatory ===
[[Image:Ben Nevis summit.jpg|thumb|right|The summit plateau. The ruined observatory is in the centre, with the summit cairn to the right.]]
A meteorological observatory on the summit was first proposed by the [[Scottish Meteorological Society]] (SMS) in the late 1870s, at a time when similar observatories were being built around the world to study the weather at high altitude.<ref name="Roy"/> In the summer of 1881, [[Clement Lindley Wragge]] climbed the mountain daily to make observations (earning the nickname "Inclement Rag"), leading to the opening on 17 October 1883 of a permanent observatory run by the SMS. The building was permanently manned until 1904, when it was closed due to inadequate Government funding. The twenty years' worth of readings still provide the most comprehensive set of data on mountain weather in [[Great Britain]].<ref name="Roy"/>
In September 1894, C. T. R. Wilson was employed at the observatory for a couple of weeks, as temporary relief for one of the permanent staff. During this period, he witnessed a [[Brocken spectre]] and [[glory (optical phenomenon)|glory]], caused by the sun casting a shadow on cloud below the observer. He subsequently tried to reproduce these phenomena in the laboratory, resulting in his invention of the cloud chamber, used to detect [[ionising radiation]].<ref name=Wilson>{{cite web| url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1927/wilson-bio.html |title=C. T. R. Wilson Biography from Nobel Lectures, Physics 1922-1941, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam |year=1965|author=Nobel Foundation|accessdate=2006-11-27}}</ref>
== Navigation and safety ==
[[Image:Ben Nevis cornice.jpg|thumb|right|View south-west from the summit in early April. When the cliff edges are [[cornice (climbing)|corniced]], accurate navigation is critical.]]
Ben Nevis's popularity, climate and complex [[topography]] contribute to a high number of [[mountain rescue]] incidents. In 1999, for example, there were 41 rescues and four fatalities on the mountain.<ref name="Strategy"/><!--Compared to what?--> Some accidents arise over difficulties in [[navigation|navigating]] to or from the summit,<ref name="MCofS Newsletter"/> especially in poor visibility. The problem stems from the fact that the summit plateau is roughly [[kidney]]-shaped, and surrounded by cliffs on three sides; the danger is particularly accentuated when the main path is obscured by snow. Two precise [[compass]] [[bearing (navigation)|bearings]] taken in succession are necessary to navigate from the summit cairn to the west flank, from where a descent can be made on the Pony Track in relative safety.<ref>{{cite book |author=Mountaineering Council of Scotland |title=Navigation on Ben Nevis |accessdate=2006-06-21 |url=http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/leaflets/nevis.html}}</ref>
In the late 1990s, Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team erected two posts on the summit plateau, in order to assist walkers attempting the descent in [[fog]]gy conditions. These posts were subsequently cut down by climbers, sparking controversy in mountaineering circles on the ethics of such additions.<ref name="MCofS Newsletter">{{cite journal |author=The Mountaineering Council of Scotland |year=1997 |title=Ben Nevis—The Future |journal=Newsletter |volume=33 |url=http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/nl/33b.html}}</ref><ref name="Cairns debate">{{cite web |url= http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/bendebate/index.html|title= Summit Safety and Ben Nevis Cairns: The MCofS seeks a resolution |accessdate= 2006-10-26 |author= The Mountaineering Council of Scotland |format=also see sub-pages}}</ref> Critics argued that cairns and posts are an unnecessary man-made intrusion into the natural landscape, which create a false sense of security and could lessen mountaineers' sense of responsibility for their own safety.<ref name="Cairns debate"/> Supporters of navigational aids pointed to the high number of accidents that occurred on the mountain (between 1990 and 1995 alone there were 13 fatalities, although eight of these were due to falls while rock climbing rather than navigational error),<ref name="MCofS Newsletter"/> the long tradition of placing such aids on the summit, and the potentially life-saving role they could play. A series of solidly-constructed cairns currently (September 2009) marks the upper reaches of the Pony Track.
== Climbing on Ben Nevis ==
[[Image:Ben N Face annotated.jpg|thumb|left|The north face, with key features marked. The Càrn Dearg Buttress and Castle Ridge are to the right of the photo.]]
The north face of Ben Nevis is riven with buttresses, ridges, towers and pinnacles, and contains many classic scrambles and rock climbs. It is of major importance for British winter climbing, with many of its routes holding snow often until late April. It was one of the first places in Scotland to receive the attention of serious mountaineers, with a descent of [[Tower Ridge]] in 1892 the earliest documented climbing expedition on the Ben.<ref name="Adby">{{cite book|author=Terry Adby & Stuart Johnston|year=2003|title=The Hillwalker's Guide to Mountaineering|publisher=Cicerone|location=Milnthorpe|isbn=1-85284-393-4|pages=240–247}}</ref><ref>Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 119</ref> (It was not climbed from bottom to top for another two years). The Scottish Mountaineering Club's Charles Inglis Clark hut was built below the north face in Coire Leis in 1929. Because of its remote location, it is said to be the only genuine [[Mountain hut|alpine hut]] in Britain.<ref name="CIC"/> It remains popular with climbers, especially in winter.
Tower Ridge is the longest of the north face's four main [[ridges]], with around 600 metres of ascent. It is not technically demanding (its [[grade (climbing)#British|grade]] is Difficult), and most pitches can be tackled unroped by competent climbers, but it is committing and very exposed.<ref name="Adby"/> Castle Ridge, the first of the main ridges, is an easier scramble, while Observatory Ridge is graded Very Difficult;<ref>Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 126</ref> the latter is the closest ridge to the summit. Between the Tower and Observatory Ridges is Gardyloo Gully, which takes its name from the cry of "''garde à l'eau''" ([[French language|French]] for "watch out for the water"), formerly used in Scottish cities as a warning when householders threw their slops out of a [[tenement]] window into the street. The gully's top wall was the refuse pit for the now-disused summit observatory.<ref name="Murray"/> The North-east Buttress is the last and bulkiest of these four ridges, and is regarded as the hardest for its combination of technical difficulty and seriousness.<ref>Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 127</ref>
[[Image:Ben Nevis.jpg|thumb|right|The Càrn Dearg Buttress in early April]]
The north face contains dozens of graded rock climbs along its entire length, with particular concentrations on the Càrn Dearg Buttress (below the [[Munro]] top of Càrn Dearg NW) and around the North-east Buttress and Observatory Ridge. Classic rock routes include ''Rubicon Wall'' on Observatory Buttress (Severe) – whose second ascent in 1937, when it was considered the hardest route on the mountain, is described by [[W. H. Murray]] in ''Mountaineering in Scotland''<ref>W. H. Murray [1947] (1962). ''Mountaineering in Scotland''. London: J. M. Dent.</ref> – and, on Càrn Dearg, ''Centurion'' (HVS) and ''Agrippa'' (E5).<ref name="Hodgkiss 130">Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 130</ref>
Other classic routes were put up by Dr [[J. H. B. Bell]] and others between the Wars; these include Bell's 'Long Climb', at {{convert|1400|ft|m|abbr=on}} reputedly the longest on the mainland. Echo Wall, an extreme and as-yet ungraded climb was completed by [[Dave MacLeod]] in 2008 after two years of preparation.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/newswire-echo-wall-macleod |title=MacLeod's Boldest: Echo Wall |publisher=Alpinist.com| accessdate = 2006-02-22}}</ref>
The north face is also one of Scotland's foremost venues for winter mountaineering and ice climbing, and holds snow until quite late in the year; in a good year, routes may remain in winter condition until mid-spring. Most of the possible rock routes are also suitable as winter climbs, including the four main ridges; Tower Ridge, for example, is grade IV on the [[Grade (climbing)#Grade systems for ice climbing|Scottish winter grading system]], having been upgraded in 2009 by the Scottish Mountaineering Club after requests by the local Mountain Rescue Team, there being numerous benightments and incidents every winter season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scotclimb.org.uk/bennevis.shtml |title=Climbing on Ben Nevis |publisher=Scottish Climbing Archive | accessdate = 2006-10-26}}</ref> Probably the most popular ice climb on Ben Nevis<ref name="Hodgkiss 130"/> is ''The Curtain'' (IV,5) on the left side of the Càrn Dearg Buttress. At the top end of the scale, ''Centurion'' in winter is a grade VIII,8 face climb.
== Ben Nevis Race ==
[[Image:Image29 jpg ben race 1979.jpg|thumb|right|1979 Ben Nevis Race]]
[[Image:Image6 Ben Race 1979.jpg|thumb|right|1979 Ben Nevis Race]]
The history of [[hill running]] on Ben Nevis dates back to 1895. William Swan, a barber from Fort William, made the first recorded timed ascent up the mountain on or around 27 September of that year, when he ran from the old post office in Fort William to the summit and back in 2 hours 41 minutes.<ref name="MacLennan">{{cite journal |author=Hugh Dan MacLennan |year=1998 |month= November |title=The Ben Race: The supreme test of athletic fitness |journal=The Sports Historian |volume=18 |issue=2 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportsHistorian/1998/sh182j.pdf |accessdate=2009-06-02 }}</ref> The following years saw several improvements on Swan's record, but the first competitive race was held on 3 June 1898 under Scottish Amateur Athletic Association rules. Ten competitors ran the course, which started at the Lochiel Arms Hotel in [[Banavie]] and was thus longer than the route from Fort William; the winner was 21-year-old Hugh Kennedy, a gamekeeper at Tor Castle, who finished (coincidentally with Swan's original run) in 2 hours 41 minutes.<ref name="MacLennan"/>
Regular races were organised until 1903, when two events were held; these were the last for 24 years, perhaps due to the closure of the summit observatory the following year.<ref name="MacLennan"/> The first was from [[Achintee]], at the foot of the Pony Track, and finished at the summit; It was won in just over an hour by Ewen MacKenzie, the observatory roadman.<ref name="MacLennan"/> The second race ran from new Fort William post office, and MacKenzie lowered the record to 2 hours 10 minutes, a record he held for 34 years.<ref name="MacLennan"/>
The Ben Nevis Race has been run in its current form since 1937. It now takes place on the first Saturday in September every year, with a maximum of 500 competitors taking part.<ref name="FWO">{{cite web|url=http://www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/mf_race.html|title=Ben Nevis Race - a brief history|accessdate=2006-11-25|publisher=Fort William Online}}</ref> It starts and finishes at the [[Claggan Park, Fort William|Claggan Park]] football ground on the outskirts of Fort William, and is {{convert|14|km}} long with {{convert|1340|m}} of ascent.<ref name="SHR">{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0098&RaceDate=9%2f2%2f2006|title=Scottish Hill Racing – Ben Nevis Race|accessdate=2010-10-30}}</ref> Due to the seriousness of the mountain environment, entry is restricted to those who have completed three hill races, and runners must carry waterproofs, a hat, gloves and a whistle; anyone who has not reached the summit after two hours is turned back.<ref name="kopac">{{cite web|url=http://www.mhrrc.org/kopacs_corner/other_races/199803_ben_nevis.html|title=For Sport Alone: The Ben Nevis Race|accessdate=2009=06=02|author=Bob Kopac|publisher=MHRRC Online}}</ref> As of 2010 the records have stood unbroken since 1984, when [[Kenny Stuart]] and Pauline Haworth of [[Keswick, Cumbria|Keswick]] Athletic Club won the men's and the women's races with times of 1:25:34 and 1:43:25 respectively.<ref name="SHR"/><ref>[http://www.bennevisrace.co.uk/ The Ben Nevis Race]. Accessed 2010-10-30.</ref>
== Environmental issues ==
[[Image:Allt a' Mhuilinn.JPG|thumb|left|Path to the CIC Hut alongside the Allt a' Mhuilinn]]
Ben Nevis's popularity and high profile have led to concerns in recent decades over the impact of humans on the fragile mountain environment. These concerns contributed to the purchase of the Ben Nevis Estate in 2000 by the John Muir Trust, a Scottish charity dedicated to the conservation of wild places. The Estate covers 1,700 hectares of land on the south side of Ben Nevis and the neighbouring mountains of Càrn Mòr Dearg and Aonach Beag, including the summit of Ben Nevis.<ref name="JMT"/>
The John Muir Trust is one of nine bodies represented on the main board of the Nevis Partnership. Founded in 2003, the Partnership, which also includes representatives from local government, Glen Nevis residents and mountaineering interests, works to "guide future policies and actions to safeguard, manage and where appropriate enhance the environmental qualities and opportunities for visitor enjoyment and appreciation of the Nevis area".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Nevis Partnership |url=http://www.nevispartnership.co.uk/ |accessdate=2009-06-02}}</ref> Its projects include path repairs and improvements and the development of strategies for visitor management.
One of the Nevis Partnership's more controversial actions has concerned the large number of [[memorial]] [[commemorative plaque|plaques]] placed by individuals, especially around the summit war memorial. Many people believe that the proliferation of such plaques is inappropriate, and in August 2006 ,the Nevis Partnership declared an intention to eventually remove these plaques (after making efforts to return them to their owners), as part of a wider campaign to clean up the mountain.<ref>{{cite news |author=The Nevis Partnership| title=Removal of artefacts from Ben Nevis| url=http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/news/nevis_rel.html| date=2006-08-17| accessdate=2006-10-26}}</ref>
In 2005, the amount of litter on the Pony Track was highlighted by national media, including [[BBC Radio 5 Live]]. [[Robin Kevan]], a retired social worker from mid-Wales who is known as "Rob the Rubbish" for his efforts to clean up the countryside, then drove to Ben Nevis and cleaned the mountain himself, resulting in much media coverage and a concerted clean-up effort.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rob the Rubbish |url=http://www.robtherubbish.com/ | accessdate = 2006-06-22}}</ref>
The Glen Nevis Centre have introduced a booking and charging system to groups undertaking ascents of Ben Nevis.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.scottishislandsaccessrights.co.uk/| title=Ben Nevis| author=Andy Strangeway| date=3 January 2010| publisher=Scottish Islands Access Rights| accessdate=12 January 2010}}</ref> The charge is being disputed.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/MostDiscussed/976404/Charging-charities-fees-climb-Ben-Nevis-breaks-access-laws/| title=Charging charities fees to climb Ben Nevis 'breaks access laws'| author=Mathew Little| publisher=Third Sector| date=12 January 2010| accessdate=12 January 2010}}</ref>
== Ben Nevis Distillery ==
The Ben Nevis Distillery is a [[single malt Scotch|single malt whisky]] distillery at the foot of the mountain, located by Victoria Bridge to the north of Fort William. Founded in 1825 by John McDonald (known as "Long John"), it is one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bennevisdistillery.com/|title=Ben Nevis Distillery|accessdate=2006-11-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/jhb/whisky/smws/78.html|title=Ben Nevis|publisher=Edinburgh Malt Whisky Tour|accessdate=2006-11-25}}</ref> and is a popular visitor attraction in Fort William. The water used to make the whisky comes from the Allt a' Mhuilinn, the stream that flows from Ben Nevis's northern corrie.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotchwhisky.net/distilleries/ben_nevis.htm|title=Ben Nevis Distillery|publisher=Scotchwhisky.net|accessdate=2006-11-25}}</ref> "Ben Nevis" 80/- organic [[ale]] is, by contrast, brewed in [[Bridge of Allan]] near [[Stirling]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bottledbeer.co.uk/index.html?beerid=2403|title=Ben Nevis ale|accessdate=2006-12-11}}</ref>
== A ship's name ==
''Ben Nevis'' was the name of a [[White Star Line]] [[packet ship]] which in 1854 carried the group of immigrants who were to become the [[Wends of Texas]].<ref name='wends'>{{cite web|url=http://texaswendish.org/BriefHistory.aspx |title=Texas Wendish Heritage Society: Brief History |accessdate=2009-09-01 |last=Lammert |first=Ron |publisher=Texas Heritage Society }}</ref> At least another eight vessels have carried the name since then.<ref>[http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ Miramar Ship Index: Search results for "Ben Nevis"]</ref>
== See also ==
* [[National Three Peaks Challenge]]
* [[The Remarkables, New Zealand]] – mountain range containing a peak also called Ben Nevis.
* [[Northwest Spitsbergen National Park]] includes a mountain called Ben Nevis. Its height is 918 metres and it is located at {{Coord|79|38|46|N|12|25|27|E}}.
* [[Scottish Highlands]]
== References ==
;Notes
{{reflist|2}}
;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Butterfield |first=Irvine |author=Irvine Butterfield |year=1986 |title=The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Diadem Books |location=London |isbn=0-906371-71-6 |pages=96–99}}
* {{cite book | last = Crocket| first = Ken| year = 1986| title = Ben Nevis: Britain's Highest Mountain| publisher = The Scottish Mountaineering Trust | isbn = }}
* {{cite book |last=Hodgkiss |first=Peter |year=1994 |title=The Central Highlands |edition=5th |publisher=Scottish Mountaineering Trust |isbn=0-907521-44-4 |pages=116–134}}
* {{cite book |last=Irving |first=R. L. G. |authorlink=Robert Lock Graham Irving |year=1940 |title=Ten Great Mountains |publisher=J. M. Dent & Sons |location=London |id= }}
* {{cite book |title=Landranger 41: Ben Nevis |year=2002 |publisher=[[Ordnance Survey]] |format=map |isbn=0-319-22641-7 |author=Ordnance Survey.}}
* {{cite book |last=Murray |first=W. H. |authorlink=W. H. Murray |year=1977 |title=The Companion Guide to the West Highlands of Scotland |publisher=Collins |location=London |isbn=0-00-216813-8 |pages=218–221}}
* {{cite book | last = Richardson| first = Simon| coauthors=et al.| year = 2002| title = Ben Nevis: Rock and Ice Climbs| publisher = The Scottish Mountaineering Trust | isbn = 0-907521-73-8}}
{{refend}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ben Nevis}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* {{oscoor gbx|216666_771285}}
* [http://www.nevispartnership.co.uk/ Nevis Partnership] - Environmental and visitor management in the Nevis area
* Computer generated digital panoramas from Ben Nevis: [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/NEVIS-North.gif North] [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/Nevis-South.gif South] [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas.html index]
* [http://visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/webcam/ Ben Nevis Webcam] at Fort William Online
* [http://www.bennevisrace.co.uk/index.html The Ben Nevis Race] (official website)
* [http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/leaflets/nevis.html Navigation on Ben Nevis] Advice for people walking up Ben Nevis - available as leaflet in the town.
* [http://www.incallander.co.uk/walks/ben-nevis.htm Ben Nevis - the long way round.] The Ben via the CMD ridge
* [http://www.smc.org.uk/Munros/MunrosTable.php Ben Nevis]. ''Munros Table''. [[Scottish Mountaineering Club]].
{{Scottish Munros section 4}}
{{British hills}}
{{Highest mountains of the United Kingdom}}
{{Lochaber}}
{{good article}}
[[Category:Lochaber]]
[[Category:Munros]]
[[Category:Marilyns of Scotland]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of the Central Highlands]]
[[Category:National Scenic Areas in Scotland]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Lochaber]]
[[Category:Special Areas of Conservation in Scotland]]
[[Category:Climbing areas of Scotland]]
[[Category:Volcanism of Scotland]]
[[Category:Devonian volcanism]]
[[Category:Fell running events]]
[[be:Гара Бен-Невіс]]
[[be-x-old:Бэн-Нэвіс]]
[[bg:Бен Невис]]
[[ca:Ben Nevis]]
[[cs:Ben Nevis]]
[[cy:Ben Nevis]]
[[da:Ben Nevis]]
[[de:Ben Nevis]]
[[et:Ben Nevis]]
[[es:Ben Nevis]] {{Link GA|es}}
[[eo:Ben Nevis]]
[[eu:Ben Nevis]]
[[fa:بن نویس]]
[[fr:Ben Nevis]] {{Link GA|fr}}
[[ga:Beinn Nibheis]]
[[gv:Beinn Nivish]]
[[gd:Beinn Nibheis]]
[[it:Ben Nevis]]
[[ku:Ben Nevis]]
[[lt:Ben Nevis]]
[[lmo:Ben Nevis]]
[[nl:Ben Nevis]]
[[no:Ben Nevis]]
[[nn:Ben Nevis]]
[[nds:Ben Nevis]]
[[pl:Ben Nevis]]
[[pt:Ben Nevis]]
[[ro:Ben Nevis]]
[[ru:Бен-Невис]]
[[sq:Ben Nevis]]
[[simple:Ben Nevis]]
[[sk:Ben Nevis]]
[[fi:Ben Nevis]]
[[sv:Ben Nevis]]
[[tr:Ben Nevis]]
[[uk:Бен-Невіс]]
[[vi:Ben Nevis]]
[[zh:本尼维斯山]]' |
New page wikitext, after the edit (new_wikitext ) | '{{Infobox mountain
| name = Ben Nevis
| other_name = ''Beinn Nibheis''
| photo = BenNevis2005.jpg
| photo_caption = <small>Ben Nevis from [[Banavie]]. The summit is beyond and to the left of the apparent highest point<small>
| photo_size = 300
| elevation_m = 1344
| elevation_ref =
| prominence_m = 1,344
| prominence_ref = <small>[[List of mountains of the British Isles by relative height|Ranked 1st]] in [[British Isles]]</small>
| parent_peak = ''none'' - HP [[Great Britain]]
| map = Scotland
| map_caption =
| label_position = right
| listing = [[Munro]], [[Marilyn (hill)|Marilyn]], [[List of Scottish council areas by highest point|Council top]] ([[Highland (council area)|Highland]]), [[List of Scottish counties by highest point|County top]] ([[Inverness-shire]])
| translation = Venomous mountain ''or'' mountain with its head in the clouds
| language = [[Scottish Gaelic language|Scottish Gaelic]]
| location = [[Lochaber]], [[Highland (council area)|Highland]], [[Scotland]]
| lat_d = 56.796803
| long_d = -5.006007
| coordinates_ref =
| grid_ref_UK = NN 166 712
| topo = [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] ''Landranger'' 41, ''Explorer'' 392
| first_ascent = 17 August 1771, by James Robertson
| easiest_route = [[hiking|Walk]]
}}
'''Ben Nevis ''' ({{lang-gd|Beinn Nibheis}}, {{IPA-gd|peˈɲivəʃ|pron}}) is the highest mountain in the [[United Kingdom]] and the whole of the [[British Isles]]. It is located at the western end of the [[Grampian Mountains (Scotland)|Grampian Mountains]] in the [[Lochaber]] area of the [[Scottish Highlands]], close to the town of [[Fort William, Highland|Fort William]].
As is common for many [[Scottish mountains]], it is known both to locals and visitors as simply '''the Ben'''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ben Nevis, or the 'Ben' as it is fondly known locally|url=http://www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/mf_bennevis.html|publisher=Visit Fort William Ltd |accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ben Nevis is almost always referred to by climbers as simply The Ben (Ben meaning Mountain)|url=http://www.takeupthechallenge.com/pages/page-nevis-history.htm|publisher=The Ben Nevis Challenge |accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref> It attracts an estimated 100,000 ascents a year,<ref name="JMT">{{cite web |url=http://www.jmt.org/ben-nevis-estate.asp|title=Ben Nevis owned by the John Muir Trust|accessdate=2006-11-05|author=John Muir Trust}}</ref> around three-quarters of which<ref name="Strategy">{{cite web |url=http://www.nevispartnership.co.uk/pdf/newnevis_strategy_summary.pdf|title=Nevis Strategy|accessdate=2006-11-05|author=The Nevis Working Party|format=PDF|year=2001}}</ref> are made using the well-constructed Pony Track from [[Glen Nevis]] on the south side of the mountain. For climbers and [[mountaineering|mountaineers]] the main attraction lies in the {{convert|700|m|adj=on}} high cliffs of the north face; among the highest cliffs in the [[United Kingdom]], they harbour some classic [[scrambling|scrambles]] and [[rock climbing|rock climbs]] of all difficulties, and are one of the principal locations in the UK for [[ice climbing]].
The summit, at 1,344 metres (4,409 ft) above sea level, features the ruins of an [[observatory]], which was permanently staffed between 1883 and 1904. The [[meteorology|meteorological]] data collected during this period are still important for understanding Scottish mountain weather. [[C. T. R. Wilson]] was inspired to invent the [[cloud chamber]] after a period spent working at the observatory.
== Etymology ==
"Ben Nevis" is an [[Anglicisation|anglicism]] of the [[Scottish Gaelic language|Scottish Gaelic]] name "Beinn Nibheis". "Beinn" is the most common Gaelic word for "mountain", "Nibheis" is variously understood, though the word is commonly translated as "malicious" or "venomous".<ref name="Butterfield 96">Butterfield, ''The High Mountains'', p. 96</ref> An alternative interpretation is that "Beinn Nibheis" derives from "beinn nèamh-bhathais", from "nèamh" "heavens, clouds" and "bathais" "top of a man's head". A literal translation would therefore be "the mountain with its head in the clouds",<ref name="Murray"/> though "mountain of Heaven" is also frequently given.<ref name="Butterfield 96"/>
hhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiii wat up
== Geography ==
Ben Nevis forms a [[massif]] with its neighbour to the north-east, [[Càrn Mòr Dearg]], to which it is linked by the Càrn Mòr Dearg [[Arête]].<ref name="OS">Ordnance Survey ''Landranger'' 41.</ref> Both mountains are among the nine in Scotland over {{convert|4000|ft|sig=2}}; [[Aonach Beag]] and [[Aonach Mòr]] also being located on the Nevis massif, with [[Ben Macdui]], [[Braeriach]], [[Cairn Toul]], [[Sgor an Lochain Uaine]] and [[Cairn Gorm]] being located in the [[Cairngorms]].
[[File:Ben Nevis massif.PNG|thumb|left|Western flank of the Nevis massif; from [[Sgùrr Dhòmhnuill]].]]
The western and southern flanks of Ben Nevis rise {{convert|1200|m}} in about {{convert|2|km}} from the floor of Glen Nevis – the longest and steepest hill slope in the UK<ref name="Murray">W. H. Murray, ''The Companion Guide to the West Highlands of Scotland''</ref> – with the result that the mountain presents an aspect of massive bulk on this side. To the north, by contrast, cliffs drop some {{convert|600|m}} to Coire Leis. This [[Cirque|corrie]] contains the Charles Inglis Clark Memorial Hut (known as the CIC Hut), a private [[mountain hut]] located at {{convert|680|m}} above sea level, owned by the [[Scottish Mountaineering Club]]<ref name="CIC">{{cite web|url=http://www.smc.org.uk/Huts/CIC.htm|title= Charles Inglis Clark Memorial Hut (C.I.C.) |accessdate= 2007-11-12 |author= Scottish Mountaineering Club website|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070915100543/http://www.smc.org.uk/Huts/CIC.htm |archivedate = September 15, 2007|deadurl=yes}}</ref> and used as a base for the many [[climbing]] routes on the mountain's north face.
In addition to the main 1,344 m (4,409 ft) summit, Ben Nevis has two subsidiary "tops" listed in [[Munro's Tables]], both of which are called Càrn Dearg ("red hill").<ref name="Munros">{{cite book | name=D.A. Bearhop | year=1997 | title=Munro's Tables | isbn=0-907521-53-3 | publisher=Scottish Mountaineering Club & Trust | author=revised and edited by Derek A. Bearhop.}}</ref> The higher of these, at {{convert|1221|m}}, is situated to the north-west, and is often mistaken for Ben Nevis itself in views from the Fort William area. The other Càrn Dearg (1,020 m) juts out into Glen Nevis on the mountain's south-western side. A lower hill, Meall an t-Suidhe ({{convert|711|m}}), is located further west, forming a saddle with Ben Nevis which contains a small [[loch]], Lochan an t-Suidhe. The popular tourist path from Glen Nevis skirts the side of this hill before ascending Ben Nevis's broad western flank.
=== Geology ===
Ben Nevis consists mainly of [[igneous]] rock from the [[Devonian]] period (around 400 million years ago), [[intrusion|intruded]] into the surrounding metamorphic [[schist]]s; the intrusions take the form of a series of concentric [[ring dike]]s. The innermost of these, known as the Inner Granite, constitutes the southern bulk of the mountain above Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, and also the neighbouring ridge of Càrn Mòr Dearg; Meall an t-Suidhe forms part of the Outer Granite, which is redder in colour. The summit dome itself, together with the steep northern cliffs, are composed of [[andesite]] and [[basaltic]] lavas. The mountain has been extensively shaped by [[glaciation]].<ref>McKirdy, Alan Gordon, John & Crofts, Roger (2007) ''Land of Mountain and Flood: The Geology and Landforms of Scotland''. Edinburgh. Birlinn. Pages 114-6.</ref><ref>Gillen, Con (2003) ''Geology and landscapes of Scotland''. Harpenden. Terra. Page 80.</ref><ref>{{cite journal | author=Averis, A. B. G. and Averis A. M. |title=A survey of the vegetation of Ben Nevis Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation, 2003-2004 |url=http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/commissioned_reports/F02LD01.pdf |format=PDF |year=2005 |journal=Scottish National Heritage Commissioned Report |volume=090|accessdate=2006-12-11}}</ref>
=== Climate ===
[[Image:Ben Nevis south face.jpg|thumb|The steep south face of Ben Nevis from [[Sgurr a' Mhàim]]]]
Ben Nevis's altitude, [[oceanic climate|maritime]] location and topography frequently lead to poor weather conditions, which can pose a danger to ill-equipped walkers. According to the observations carried out at the summit observatory from 1883–1904, fog was present on the summit for almost 80% of the time between November and January, and 55% of the time in May and June.<ref name="Roy">{{cite web|url=http://www.meteohistory.org/2004polling%5Fpreprints/docs/abstracts/roy2_poster.pdf|title=The Ben Nevis Meteorological Observatory 1883-1904|accessdate=2006-11-27|author=Marjorie Roy|year=2004|format=PDF |work=|publisher=International Commission on History of Meteorology}}</ref> The average winter temperature was around {{convert|-5|C}},<ref name="Roy"/> and the mean monthly temperature for the year was {{convert|-0.5|C}}.<ref name="Murray 221">Murray, ''Companion Guide'', p. 221</ref> In an average year the summit sees 261 gales,<ref name="Murray 221"/> and receives {{convert|4350|mm}} of rainfall, compared to only {{convert|2050|mm}} in nearby Fort William<ref>{{cite book|author=Eric Langmuir|year=1995 |title=Mountaincraft and Leadership (Third edition)|publisher=SportScotland, Edinburgh|isbn=1-85060-295-6}}</ref>, {{convert|840|mm}} in [[Inverness]] and {{convert|580|mm}} [[London]]. Rainfall on Ben Nevis is about twice as high in the winter as it is in the spring and summer. Snow can be found on the mountain almost [[Snow patches in Scotland|all year round]], particularly in the gullies of the north face – with the higher reaches of Observatory Gully holding snow until September most years and sometimes until the new snows of the following season.
== History ==
[[Image:Ben Nevis and Fort William from west.jpg|thumb|right|Ben Nevis and Fort William, seen from across [[Loch Linnhe]].]]
The first recorded ascent of Ben Nevis was made on 17 August 1771 by James Robertson, an [[Edinburgh]] [[botany|botanist]], who was in the region to collect botanical specimens. Another early ascent was in 1774 by John Williams, who provided the first account of the mountain's geological structure.<ref name="Miller">{{cite journal |author=Suzanne Miller |year=2004 |title=Ben Nevis Geology |journal=The Edinburgh Geologist |volume=43 |pages=3–9}}</ref> [[John Keats]] climbed the mountain in 1818, comparing the ascent to "mounting ten [[St Paul's Cathedral|St. Pauls]] without the convenience of a staircase".<ref name="Hodgkiss 117">Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 117</ref> It was not until 1847 that Ben Nevis was confirmed by the [[Ordnance Survey]] as the highest mountain in Britain, ahead of its rival [[Ben Macdhui (Scotland)|Ben Macdui]].
The [[#Observatory|summit observatory]] was built in the summer of 1883, and would remain in operation for 21 years. The first [[trail|path]] to the summit was built at the same time as the observatory and was designed to allow [[pony|ponies]] to carry up supplies, with a maximum gradient of one in five.<ref name="Roy"/> The opening of the path and the observatory made the ascent of the Ben increasingly popular, all the more so after the arrival of the [[West Highland Railway]] in Fort William in 1894.<ref name="MacLennan"/> Around this time the first of several proposals was made for a [[rack railway]] to the summit, none of which came to fruition.<ref name="Hodgkiss 117"/>
In 2000, the Ben Nevis Estate, comprising all of the south side of the mountain including the summit, was bought by the Scottish conservation charity the [[John Muir Trust]].
== Ascent routes ==
[[Image:Ben Nevis Tourist Route.jpg|thumb|left|The lower part of the Ben Path, maintained at a high standard]]
The 1883 Pony Track to the summit (also known as the ''Ben Path'', the ''Mountain Path'' or the ''Tourist Route'') remains the simplest and most popular route of ascent. It begins at Achintee on the east side of Glen Nevis about 2 km (1.5 miles) from Fort William town centre, at around 20 metres above [[sea level]]. Bridges from the Visitor Centre and the [[youth hostel]] now allow access from the west side of Glen Nevis.<ref name="OS"/><ref name="Butterfield 97">Butterfield, ''The High Mountains'', p. 97</ref> The path climbs steeply to the saddle by Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe (also known as the 'Halfway Lochan') at 570 m, then ascends the remaining 700 metres up the stony west flank of Ben Nevis in a series of zig-zags. It is allegedly well-made and maintained throughout its length, but the loose scree, rocks and pebbles, especially on the path's upper reaches, can be hazardous and slippery. Thanks to the zig-zags, the path is not unusually steep apart from in the initial stages, but inexperienced walkers should be aware that the descent is relatively arduous and wearing on the knees.
[[Image:Carn Mor Dearg arete.jpg|thumb|right|The CMD Arête under deep snow in spring, from the summit of [[Càrn Mòr Dearg]]]]
A route popular with experienced [[hillwalking|hillwalkers]] starts at Torlundy, a few miles north-east of Fort William on the [[A82 road]], and follows the path alongside the Allt a' Mhuilinn. It can also be reached from Glen Nevis by following the Pony Track as far as Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, then descending slightly to the CIC Hut. The route then ascends Càrn Mòr Dearg and continues along the Càrn Mòr Dearg Arête ("CMD Arête") before climbing steeply to the summit of Ben Nevis. This route involves a total of 1,500 metres of ascent and requires modest scrambling ability and a head for heights.<ref>Butterfield, ''The High Mountains'', p. 98</ref> In common with other approaches on this side of the mountain, it has the advantage of giving an extensive view of the cliffs of the north face, which are hidden from the Pony Track.<ref name="Butterfield 97"/>
It is also possible to climb Ben Nevis from the Nevis Gorge car park at the head of the road up Glen Nevis, either by the south-east ridge or via the summit of Càrn Dearg (south-west). These routes do not require scrambling, but are shorter and steeper, and tend to be used by experienced hill walkers.
== The summit ==
[[Image:War Memorial, Ben Nevis.jpg|thumb|left|The summit war memorial, October 2006]]
The summit of Ben Nevis comprises a large stony [[plateau]] of about {{convert|40|ha|-1}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9078533|title=Ben Nevis|accessdate=2006-11-25|work=Encyclopædia Britannica}} (Subscription required for full access.)</ref> The highest point is marked with a large, solidly built [[cairn]] atop which sits an Ordnance Survey [[trig point]].
The ruined walls of the observatory are a prominent feature on the summit. An emergency shelter has been built on top of the observatory tower for the benefit of those caught out by bad weather, and, although the base of the tower is slightly lower than the true summit of the mountain, the roof of the shelter overtops the trig point by several feet, making it the highest man-made structure in the UK. A [[war memorial]] to the dead of [[World War II]] is located next to the observatory.
On 17 May 2006, a piano that had been buried under one of the cairns on the peak was uncovered by the John Muir Trust, which owns much of the mountain.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1776987,00.html |title=Piano found on Britain's highest mountain |accessdate=2006-06-22 | location=London | date=2006-05-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/4994552.stm |title=New twist in Nevis music mystery |accessdate=2006-06-22 | date=2006-05-18}}</ref> The piano is believed to have been carried up for charity by removal men from [[Dundee]] over 20 years earlier.<ref>{{cite news | publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/4998440.stm |title=Trust names Ben Nevis 'piano men' |accessdate=2006-08-15 | date=2006-05-19}}</ref>
The view from the UK's highest point is extensive. Under ideal conditions, it can extend to over {{convert|190|km}}, including such mountains as the [[Torridon Hills]], [[Morven, Caithness|Morven]] in [[Caithness]], [[Lochnagar]], [[Ben Lomond]], [[Barra Head]] and to [[Knocklayd]] in [[County Antrim]], [[Northern Ireland]].<ref>Viewfinder Panoramas: [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/NEVIS-North.gif North], [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/Nevis-South.gif South]. Retrieved on 25 November 2006.</ref>
=== Observatory ===
[[Image:Ben Nevis summit.jpg|thumb|right|The summit plateau. The ruined observatory is in the centre, with the summit cairn to the right.]]
A meteorological observatory on the summit was first proposed by the [[Scottish Meteorological Society]] (SMS) in the late 1870s, at a time when similar observatories were being built around the world to study the weather at high altitude.<ref name="Roy"/> In the summer of 1881, [[Clement Lindley Wragge]] climbed the mountain daily to make observations (earning the nickname "Inclement Rag"), leading to the opening on 17 October 1883 of a permanent observatory run by the SMS. The building was permanently manned until 1904, when it was closed due to inadequate Government funding. The twenty years' worth of readings still provide the most comprehensive set of data on mountain weather in [[Great Britain]].<ref name="Roy"/>
In September 1894, C. T. R. Wilson was employed at the observatory for a couple of weeks, as temporary relief for one of the permanent staff. During this period, he witnessed a [[Brocken spectre]] and [[glory (optical phenomenon)|glory]], caused by the sun casting a shadow on cloud below the observer. He subsequently tried to reproduce these phenomena in the laboratory, resulting in his invention of the cloud chamber, used to detect [[ionising radiation]].<ref name=Wilson>{{cite web| url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1927/wilson-bio.html |title=C. T. R. Wilson Biography from Nobel Lectures, Physics 1922-1941, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam |year=1965|author=Nobel Foundation|accessdate=2006-11-27}}</ref>
== Navigation and safety ==
[[Image:Ben Nevis cornice.jpg|thumb|right|View south-west from the summit in early April. When the cliff edges are [[cornice (climbing)|corniced]], accurate navigation is critical.]]
Ben Nevis's popularity, climate and complex [[topography]] contribute to a high number of [[mountain rescue]] incidents. In 1999, for example, there were 41 rescues and four fatalities on the mountain.<ref name="Strategy"/><!--Compared to what?--> Some accidents arise over difficulties in [[navigation|navigating]] to or from the summit,<ref name="MCofS Newsletter"/> especially in poor visibility. The problem stems from the fact that the summit plateau is roughly [[kidney]]-shaped, and surrounded by cliffs on three sides; the danger is particularly accentuated when the main path is obscured by snow. Two precise [[compass]] [[bearing (navigation)|bearings]] taken in succession are necessary to navigate from the summit cairn to the west flank, from where a descent can be made on the Pony Track in relative safety.<ref>{{cite book |author=Mountaineering Council of Scotland |title=Navigation on Ben Nevis |accessdate=2006-06-21 |url=http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/leaflets/nevis.html}}</ref>
In the late 1990s, Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team erected two posts on the summit plateau, in order to assist walkers attempting the descent in [[fog]]gy conditions. These posts were subsequently cut down by climbers, sparking controversy in mountaineering circles on the ethics of such additions.<ref name="MCofS Newsletter">{{cite journal |author=The Mountaineering Council of Scotland |year=1997 |title=Ben Nevis—The Future |journal=Newsletter |volume=33 |url=http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/nl/33b.html}}</ref><ref name="Cairns debate">{{cite web |url= http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/bendebate/index.html|title= Summit Safety and Ben Nevis Cairns: The MCofS seeks a resolution |accessdate= 2006-10-26 |author= The Mountaineering Council of Scotland |format=also see sub-pages}}</ref> Critics argued that cairns and posts are an unnecessary man-made intrusion into the natural landscape, which create a false sense of security and could lessen mountaineers' sense of responsibility for their own safety.<ref name="Cairns debate"/> Supporters of navigational aids pointed to the high number of accidents that occurred on the mountain (between 1990 and 1995 alone there were 13 fatalities, although eight of these were due to falls while rock climbing rather than navigational error),<ref name="MCofS Newsletter"/> the long tradition of placing such aids on the summit, and the potentially life-saving role they could play. A series of solidly-constructed cairns currently (September 2009) marks the upper reaches of the Pony Track.
== Climbing on Ben Nevis ==
[[Image:Ben N Face annotated.jpg|thumb|left|The north face, with key features marked. The Càrn Dearg Buttress and Castle Ridge are to the right of the photo.]]
The north face of Ben Nevis is riven with buttresses, ridges, towers and pinnacles, and contains many classic scrambles and rock climbs. It is of major importance for British winter climbing, with many of its routes holding snow often until late April. It was one of the first places in Scotland to receive the attention of serious mountaineers, with a descent of [[Tower Ridge]] in 1892 the earliest documented climbing expedition on the Ben.<ref name="Adby">{{cite book|author=Terry Adby & Stuart Johnston|year=2003|title=The Hillwalker's Guide to Mountaineering|publisher=Cicerone|location=Milnthorpe|isbn=1-85284-393-4|pages=240–247}}</ref><ref>Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 119</ref> (It was not climbed from bottom to top for another two years). The Scottish Mountaineering Club's Charles Inglis Clark hut was built below the north face in Coire Leis in 1929. Because of its remote location, it is said to be the only genuine [[Mountain hut|alpine hut]] in Britain.<ref name="CIC"/> It remains popular with climbers, especially in winter.
Tower Ridge is the longest of the north face's four main [[ridges]], with around 600 metres of ascent. It is not technically demanding (its [[grade (climbing)#British|grade]] is Difficult), and most pitches can be tackled unroped by competent climbers, but it is committing and very exposed.<ref name="Adby"/> Castle Ridge, the first of the main ridges, is an easier scramble, while Observatory Ridge is graded Very Difficult;<ref>Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 126</ref> the latter is the closest ridge to the summit. Between the Tower and Observatory Ridges is Gardyloo Gully, which takes its name from the cry of "''garde à l'eau''" ([[French language|French]] for "watch out for the water"), formerly used in Scottish cities as a warning when householders threw their slops out of a [[tenement]] window into the street. The gully's top wall was the refuse pit for the now-disused summit observatory.<ref name="Murray"/> The North-east Buttress is the last and bulkiest of these four ridges, and is regarded as the hardest for its combination of technical difficulty and seriousness.<ref>Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 127</ref>
[[Image:Ben Nevis.jpg|thumb|right|The Càrn Dearg Buttress in early April]]
The north face contains dozens of graded rock climbs along its entire length, with particular concentrations on the Càrn Dearg Buttress (below the [[Munro]] top of Càrn Dearg NW) and around the North-east Buttress and Observatory Ridge. Classic rock routes include ''Rubicon Wall'' on Observatory Buttress (Severe) – whose second ascent in 1937, when it was considered the hardest route on the mountain, is described by [[W. H. Murray]] in ''Mountaineering in Scotland''<ref>W. H. Murray [1947] (1962). ''Mountaineering in Scotland''. London: J. M. Dent.</ref> – and, on Càrn Dearg, ''Centurion'' (HVS) and ''Agrippa'' (E5).<ref name="Hodgkiss 130">Hodgkiss, ''The Central Highlands'', p. 130</ref>
Other classic routes were put up by Dr [[J. H. B. Bell]] and others between the Wars; these include Bell's 'Long Climb', at {{convert|1400|ft|m|abbr=on}} reputedly the longest on the mainland. Echo Wall, an extreme and as-yet ungraded climb was completed by [[Dave MacLeod]] in 2008 after two years of preparation.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/newswire-echo-wall-macleod |title=MacLeod's Boldest: Echo Wall |publisher=Alpinist.com| accessdate = 2006-02-22}}</ref>
The north face is also one of Scotland's foremost venues for winter mountaineering and ice climbing, and holds snow until quite late in the year; in a good year, routes may remain in winter condition until mid-spring. Most of the possible rock routes are also suitable as winter climbs, including the four main ridges; Tower Ridge, for example, is grade IV on the [[Grade (climbing)#Grade systems for ice climbing|Scottish winter grading system]], having been upgraded in 2009 by the Scottish Mountaineering Club after requests by the local Mountain Rescue Team, there being numerous benightments and incidents every winter season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scotclimb.org.uk/bennevis.shtml |title=Climbing on Ben Nevis |publisher=Scottish Climbing Archive | accessdate = 2006-10-26}}</ref> Probably the most popular ice climb on Ben Nevis<ref name="Hodgkiss 130"/> is ''The Curtain'' (IV,5) on the left side of the Càrn Dearg Buttress. At the top end of the scale, ''Centurion'' in winter is a grade VIII,8 face climb.
== Ben Nevis Race ==
[[Image:Image29 jpg ben race 1979.jpg|thumb|right|1979 Ben Nevis Race]]
[[Image:Image6 Ben Race 1979.jpg|thumb|right|1979 Ben Nevis Race]]
The history of [[hill running]] on Ben Nevis dates back to 1895. William Swan, a barber from Fort William, made the first recorded timed ascent up the mountain on or around 27 September of that year, when he ran from the old post office in Fort William to the summit and back in 2 hours 41 minutes.<ref name="MacLennan">{{cite journal |author=Hugh Dan MacLennan |year=1998 |month= November |title=The Ben Race: The supreme test of athletic fitness |journal=The Sports Historian |volume=18 |issue=2 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportsHistorian/1998/sh182j.pdf |accessdate=2009-06-02 }}</ref> The following years saw several improvements on Swan's record, but the first competitive race was held on 3 June 1898 under Scottish Amateur Athletic Association rules. Ten competitors ran the course, which started at the Lochiel Arms Hotel in [[Banavie]] and was thus longer than the route from Fort William; the winner was 21-year-old Hugh Kennedy, a gamekeeper at Tor Castle, who finished (coincidentally with Swan's original run) in 2 hours 41 minutes.<ref name="MacLennan"/>
Regular races were organised until 1903, when two events were held; these were the last for 24 years, perhaps due to the closure of the summit observatory the following year.<ref name="MacLennan"/> The first was from [[Achintee]], at the foot of the Pony Track, and finished at the summit; It was won in just over an hour by Ewen MacKenzie, the observatory roadman.<ref name="MacLennan"/> The second race ran from new Fort William post office, and MacKenzie lowered the record to 2 hours 10 minutes, a record he held for 34 years.<ref name="MacLennan"/>
The Ben Nevis Race has been run in its current form since 1937. It now takes place on the first Saturday in September every year, with a maximum of 500 competitors taking part.<ref name="FWO">{{cite web|url=http://www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/mf_race.html|title=Ben Nevis Race - a brief history|accessdate=2006-11-25|publisher=Fort William Online}}</ref> It starts and finishes at the [[Claggan Park, Fort William|Claggan Park]] football ground on the outskirts of Fort William, and is {{convert|14|km}} long with {{convert|1340|m}} of ascent.<ref name="SHR">{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishhillracing.co.uk/RaceDetails.aspx?RaceID=RA-0098&RaceDate=9%2f2%2f2006|title=Scottish Hill Racing – Ben Nevis Race|accessdate=2010-10-30}}</ref> Due to the seriousness of the mountain environment, entry is restricted to those who have completed three hill races, and runners must carry waterproofs, a hat, gloves and a whistle; anyone who has not reached the summit after two hours is turned back.<ref name="kopac">{{cite web|url=http://www.mhrrc.org/kopacs_corner/other_races/199803_ben_nevis.html|title=For Sport Alone: The Ben Nevis Race|accessdate=2009=06=02|author=Bob Kopac|publisher=MHRRC Online}}</ref> As of 2010 the records have stood unbroken since 1984, when [[Kenny Stuart]] and Pauline Haworth of [[Keswick, Cumbria|Keswick]] Athletic Club won the men's and the women's races with times of 1:25:34 and 1:43:25 respectively.<ref name="SHR"/><ref>[http://www.bennevisrace.co.uk/ The Ben Nevis Race]. Accessed 2010-10-30.</ref>
== Environmental issues ==
[[Image:Allt a' Mhuilinn.JPG|thumb|left|Path to the CIC Hut alongside the Allt a' Mhuilinn]]
Ben Nevis's popularity and high profile have led to concerns in recent decades over the impact of humans on the fragile mountain environment. These concerns contributed to the purchase of the Ben Nevis Estate in 2000 by the John Muir Trust, a Scottish charity dedicated to the conservation of wild places. The Estate covers 1,700 hectares of land on the south side of Ben Nevis and the neighbouring mountains of Càrn Mòr Dearg and Aonach Beag, including the summit of Ben Nevis.<ref name="JMT"/>
The John Muir Trust is one of nine bodies represented on the main board of the Nevis Partnership. Founded in 2003, the Partnership, which also includes representatives from local government, Glen Nevis residents and mountaineering interests, works to "guide future policies and actions to safeguard, manage and where appropriate enhance the environmental qualities and opportunities for visitor enjoyment and appreciation of the Nevis area".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Nevis Partnership |url=http://www.nevispartnership.co.uk/ |accessdate=2009-06-02}}</ref> Its projects include path repairs and improvements and the development of strategies for visitor management.
One of the Nevis Partnership's more controversial actions has concerned the large number of [[memorial]] [[commemorative plaque|plaques]] placed by individuals, especially around the summit war memorial. Many people believe that the proliferation of such plaques is inappropriate, and in August 2006 ,the Nevis Partnership declared an intention to eventually remove these plaques (after making efforts to return them to their owners), as part of a wider campaign to clean up the mountain.<ref>{{cite news |author=The Nevis Partnership| title=Removal of artefacts from Ben Nevis| url=http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/news/nevis_rel.html| date=2006-08-17| accessdate=2006-10-26}}</ref>
In 2005, the amount of litter on the Pony Track was highlighted by national media, including [[BBC Radio 5 Live]]. [[Robin Kevan]], a retired social worker from mid-Wales who is known as "Rob the Rubbish" for his efforts to clean up the countryside, then drove to Ben Nevis and cleaned the mountain himself, resulting in much media coverage and a concerted clean-up effort.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rob the Rubbish |url=http://www.robtherubbish.com/ | accessdate = 2006-06-22}}</ref>
The Glen Nevis Centre have introduced a booking and charging system to groups undertaking ascents of Ben Nevis.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.scottishislandsaccessrights.co.uk/| title=Ben Nevis| author=Andy Strangeway| date=3 January 2010| publisher=Scottish Islands Access Rights| accessdate=12 January 2010}}</ref> The charge is being disputed.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/MostDiscussed/976404/Charging-charities-fees-climb-Ben-Nevis-breaks-access-laws/| title=Charging charities fees to climb Ben Nevis 'breaks access laws'| author=Mathew Little| publisher=Third Sector| date=12 January 2010| accessdate=12 January 2010}}</ref>
== Ben Nevis Distillery ==
The Ben Nevis Distillery is a [[single malt Scotch|single malt whisky]] distillery at the foot of the mountain, located by Victoria Bridge to the north of Fort William. Founded in 1825 by John McDonald (known as "Long John"), it is one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland,<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bennevisdistillery.com/|title=Ben Nevis Distillery|accessdate=2006-11-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/jhb/whisky/smws/78.html|title=Ben Nevis|publisher=Edinburgh Malt Whisky Tour|accessdate=2006-11-25}}</ref> and is a popular visitor attraction in Fort William. The water used to make the whisky comes from the Allt a' Mhuilinn, the stream that flows from Ben Nevis's northern corrie.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotchwhisky.net/distilleries/ben_nevis.htm|title=Ben Nevis Distillery|publisher=Scotchwhisky.net|accessdate=2006-11-25}}</ref> "Ben Nevis" 80/- organic [[ale]] is, by contrast, brewed in [[Bridge of Allan]] near [[Stirling]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bottledbeer.co.uk/index.html?beerid=2403|title=Ben Nevis ale|accessdate=2006-12-11}}</ref>
== A ship's name ==
''Ben Nevis'' was the name of a [[White Star Line]] [[packet ship]] which in 1854 carried the group of immigrants who were to become the [[Wends of Texas]].<ref name='wends'>{{cite web|url=http://texaswendish.org/BriefHistory.aspx |title=Texas Wendish Heritage Society: Brief History |accessdate=2009-09-01 |last=Lammert |first=Ron |publisher=Texas Heritage Society }}</ref> At least another eight vessels have carried the name since then.<ref>[http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ Miramar Ship Index: Search results for "Ben Nevis"]</ref>
== See also ==
* [[National Three Peaks Challenge]]
* [[The Remarkables, New Zealand]] – mountain range containing a peak also called Ben Nevis.
* [[Northwest Spitsbergen National Park]] includes a mountain called Ben Nevis. Its height is 918 metres and it is located at {{Coord|79|38|46|N|12|25|27|E}}.
* [[Scottish Highlands]]
== References ==
;Notes
{{reflist|2}}
;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Butterfield |first=Irvine |author=Irvine Butterfield |year=1986 |title=The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland |publisher=Diadem Books |location=London |isbn=0-906371-71-6 |pages=96–99}}
* {{cite book | last = Crocket| first = Ken| year = 1986| title = Ben Nevis: Britain's Highest Mountain| publisher = The Scottish Mountaineering Trust | isbn = }}
* {{cite book |last=Hodgkiss |first=Peter |year=1994 |title=The Central Highlands |edition=5th |publisher=Scottish Mountaineering Trust |isbn=0-907521-44-4 |pages=116–134}}
* {{cite book |last=Irving |first=R. L. G. |authorlink=Robert Lock Graham Irving |year=1940 |title=Ten Great Mountains |publisher=J. M. Dent & Sons |location=London |id= }}
* {{cite book |title=Landranger 41: Ben Nevis |year=2002 |publisher=[[Ordnance Survey]] |format=map |isbn=0-319-22641-7 |author=Ordnance Survey.}}
* {{cite book |last=Murray |first=W. H. |authorlink=W. H. Murray |year=1977 |title=The Companion Guide to the West Highlands of Scotland |publisher=Collins |location=London |isbn=0-00-216813-8 |pages=218–221}}
* {{cite book | last = Richardson| first = Simon| coauthors=et al.| year = 2002| title = Ben Nevis: Rock and Ice Climbs| publisher = The Scottish Mountaineering Trust | isbn = 0-907521-73-8}}
{{refend}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ben Nevis}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* {{oscoor gbx|216666_771285}}
* [http://www.nevispartnership.co.uk/ Nevis Partnership] - Environmental and visitor management in the Nevis area
* Computer generated digital panoramas from Ben Nevis: [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/NEVIS-North.gif North] [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/Nevis-South.gif South] [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas.html index]
* [http://visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/webcam/ Ben Nevis Webcam] at Fort William Online
* [http://www.bennevisrace.co.uk/index.html The Ben Nevis Race] (official website)
* [http://www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk/leaflets/nevis.html Navigation on Ben Nevis] Advice for people walking up Ben Nevis - available as leaflet in the town.
* [http://www.incallander.co.uk/walks/ben-nevis.htm Ben Nevis - the long way round.] The Ben via the CMD ridge
* [http://www.smc.org.uk/Munros/MunrosTable.php Ben Nevis]. ''Munros Table''. [[Scottish Mountaineering Club]].
{{Scottish Munros section 4}}
{{British hills}}
{{Highest mountains of the United Kingdom}}
{{Lochaber}}
{{good article}}
[[Category:Lochaber]]
[[Category:Munros]]
[[Category:Marilyns of Scotland]]
[[Category:Mountains and hills of the Central Highlands]]
[[Category:National Scenic Areas in Scotland]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Lochaber]]
[[Category:Special Areas of Conservation in Scotland]]
[[Category:Climbing areas of Scotland]]
[[Category:Volcanism of Scotland]]
[[Category:Devonian volcanism]]
[[Category:Fell running events]]
[[be:Гара Бен-Невіс]]
[[be-x-old:Бэн-Нэвіс]]
[[bg:Бен Невис]]
[[ca:Ben Nevis]]
[[cs:Ben Nevis]]
[[cy:Ben Nevis]]
[[da:Ben Nevis]]
[[de:Ben Nevis]]
[[et:Ben Nevis]]
[[es:Ben Nevis]] {{Link GA|es}}
[[eo:Ben Nevis]]
[[eu:Ben Nevis]]
[[fa:بن نویس]]
[[fr:Ben Nevis]] {{Link GA|fr}}
[[ga:Beinn Nibheis]]
[[gv:Beinn Nivish]]
[[gd:Beinn Nibheis]]
[[it:Ben Nevis]]
[[ku:Ben Nevis]]
[[lt:Ben Nevis]]
[[lmo:Ben Nevis]]
[[nl:Ben Nevis]]
[[no:Ben Nevis]]
[[nn:Ben Nevis]]
[[nds:Ben Nevis]]
[[pl:Ben Nevis]]
[[pt:Ben Nevis]]
[[ro:Ben Nevis]]
[[ru:Бен-Невис]]
[[sq:Ben Nevis]]
[[simple:Ben Nevis]]
[[sk:Ben Nevis]]
[[fi:Ben Nevis]]
[[sv:Ben Nevis]]
[[tr:Ben Nevis]]
[[uk:Бен-Невіс]]
[[vi:Ben Nevis]]
[[zh:本尼维斯山]]' |