Glen Nevis and Ben Nevis

Climbing Ben Nevis is something I've wanted to do since driving past it in June 2000 on the way to Inverness. Well, finally in January 2001 we decided to go and have a look at it and possibly ski down it.

Unfortunately, Scotland gets snow but not enough of it to ski nicely. So we figured it would be better to do some climbing. We drove around the other side and parked in Glen Nevis where the pony trail begins. Our first attempt at finding the trail led us on a drive down a single track road lined with some stunning scenery. It was well lined with sheep wandering freely everywhere.

Not even half way up the trail, there are already spectacular views. Because of the ice slabs on the path, we could only go about a fifth of the way up without professional climbing equipment.

Climbing the foothills of Ben Nevis at about 500 feet from the bottom, we see sheep grazing on impossible rocks sticking up out of nowhere, which look completely inaccessible. I wonder how they get there, considering there are ice slabs all over the track. We saw a skeleton of one unlucky sheep though...so I guess sometimes they do slip and break their legs... ouch.

A sheep forages around the rocky foothills of Ben Nevis

View of Glen Nevis from the trail up Ben Nevis

Snowy view of distant mountains from the icy trail up Ben Nevis

Stream at the base of the pony trail when goes up Ben Nevis

An icicled branch weighs heavilly above a frozen stream

Going up the pony trail

View of valley from half way up Ben Nevis

Narelle crossing a scary looking bridge on the pony trail

Glen Nevis