For detailed exploration of crags and corries and pathless boulder slopes, you will be helped by the extra contour detail at 1:25,000 scale. The two Harveys Superwalker XT25 maps ‘Ben Nevis’ and ‘Glen Coe’ score very highly. They cover much the same ground as the Mountain Map, and overlap conveniently, so that Kinlochleven is on both. Also at 1:25,000 is the Explorer series of the Ordnance Survey. These maps have excellent contour detail on the lower ground, but many of the summits are so obscured with crag-marks that the contour detail is almost illegible. Harveys also offer an A4-sized Ben Nevis summit map at 1:12,500. This is equivalent to the summit enlargement on their 1:25,000 map with its useful addition of 100-metre grid lines for GPS users.
I’d suggest the Ben Nevis Mountain Map, with Landranger Sheet 50 (Glen Orchy) for the far south around Cruachan. But for ambitious mountain explorations, the Harvey Superwalker is preferable.
Compass and GPS
A compass is a very useful aid in mist, even if your skills only extend to ‘northwest, southeast’ rather than precision bearings. Magnetic deviation is about 1° west (2016): to convert a map bearing to a compass one, add 1. No magnetic rocks have been found in this area; it’s you that’s wrong, not the compass!
GPS receivers should be set to the British National Grid (known variously as British Grid, Ord Srvy GB, BNG, or OSGB GRB36). GPS readings are normally good within 10m, and I have given 8-digit (10m accuracy) grid references at various tricky points, such as where you turn down off a ridge. I have recorded these on the hill, checking for plausibility against a 1:25,000 map afterwards. I have found GPS less reliable on steep slopes, such as the corries of Bidean, with a smaller sky in sight, and poor in the Nevis Gorge; such readings should be regarded with some caution. Somewhere on the gadget, if you press the correct buttons, you can find the degree of inaccuracy. The GPS readings are supplementary; this book is designed to be used without a GPS.
Meall a’ Bhuiridh (Route 82)
Using this guide
A glance ahead into the book will show two different sorts of mapping. The low-level and mid-level routes have 1:50,000 mapping; this scale is large enough for use on the actual walk. The linear through-route walks are on the overview maps at the beginning of the book; the mountain routes have similar hand-drawn sketch maps at a larger scale. These sketches are not sufficient for route-finding on the actual mountaintop. A full-sized walkers’ map is needed so that you know not just the route you’re walking, but also the bad-weather escape route which may take you into a different glen altogether.
Each of the Munros (3000ft/914m mountains) has its well-worn ‘standard route’. That will be the quickest and most convenient – and fairly straightforward – route, but usually not the most interesting. I have pointed out those routes in the preambles, and they are listed in several guidebooks, including Steve Kew’s Walking the Munros Vol 1. However, I’ve concentrated on what I consider the most rewarding routes for each hill. These may also be a little more demanding, as they seek out the steeper scenery and avoid the flat Landrover track.
But for the very finest hills I have left the choice to you. The Grey Corries, the Mamores, and the Black Mount; Bidean and Ben Cruachan: these are hills you will want to ascend lots of times, by many different routes, or ranges where only you can decide how much to do, once you’re up. For these I have given a summit summary, with the standard route and the adventure around the back, the slightly rocky scramble and the long, long walk in from somewhere else altogether.
Many of the mountain routes start off along one of the low or mid-level ones. Accordingly, the starts of high-level routes are marked (in green) on the 1:50,000 mapping of the lower ones.
At the start of each walk there is a route information box that gives the start and finish point, distance, ascent, approximate time require to complete the route, the maximum altitude gained and an indication of the terrain involved. There is an icon showing the type of route: low-level, mid-level, mountain or trek. The difficulty indicators are explained in the panel below. The length indicators correspond to the approximate times given in the route information box: one square is up to 4 hours, two squares up to 6 hours, with the full five squares for walks of over 10 hours – those could also be enjoyed over two days using a tent or bothy. The approximate times are based on 1 hour for 4 horizontal km or for 400m of height gained, with extra time where the ground is particularly steep or rough. They’ll be about right, including brief snack stops, for a moderately paced party. (Note there are no length indicators in the summit summary routes as they are uphill only.)
Slabby granite below Meall Tarsuinn (Route 76)
On the treks and through routes, I’ve used the same calculation of 4km per hour for the ‘going time’. These walks can sometimes be done as day walks with a light pack. When done with a load, the calculated time should be considered to exclude lunch and other stops. The length in days supposes 8 hours of actual walking.
Where a bus or train can be used to link the two ends of a linear route, or to go up one route and come down another, I’ve noted this at the routes concerned. Other public transport information is in Appendix C.
In old numbers, 600ft was a vertical distance, while 200yds was horizontal. I’ve used a similar convention, so that 600m is an altitude or height gain, while 600 metres is along the ground. I use ‘track’ (rather than ‘path’) for a way wide enough for a tractor or Landrover; the exception here is the Mountain Track on Ben Nevis, as this new name for the Pony Path appears on many maps and leaflets.
Finally, the ‘standard route’ up a hill is the convenient and well-trodden one featured in guidebooks like Steve Kew’s Walking the Munros. Thus the Mountain Track is the ‘standard route’ up Ben Nevis. The ranger for Blackmount has determined that 90 per cent of walkers would be content to be restricted to such routes and no others. If that figure drops as a result of this book, the Blackmount ranger may not like it – but I shall be very pleased.
Aonach Dubh from Clachaig Inn (Route 59)
1 FORT WILLIAM AND GLEN NEVIS
Fort William, below the Aonachs and Ben Nevis
Fort William is a prettier place than Aviemore (the entry point for the Cairngorms) or Chamonix (the entry point for Mont Blanc). This still doesn’t make it very pretty. It is, however, very useful, with its supermarket and street full of gear shops, its hostels both independent and SYHA, its rail and coach links, and its charming little museum for a wet day.
For a slightly less wet day, or for a half-day, this section rounds up some walks that don’t go up Ben Nevis. The highlight here is the Nevis Gorge (Route 2): the shortest walk in this book, but on its wide path possibly Britain’s most spectacular stroll.
ROUTE 1
Cow Hill and Druimarbin
| Start/Finish | Fort William south end (NN 098 736) |
| Distance | 14km/8½miles |
| Total ascent | 500m/1700ft |
| Time | 4½hr |
| Terrain | Smooth paths |
| Max altitude | Druimarbin 287m |
A gentle exploration of Fort William and