The peak that I’d spent most time worrying about prior to the challenge was Ben Nevis. I had not even seen it before, let alone climbed it so didn’t have a clue what to expect. I knew the route to the summit ran extremely close to the cliffs and in poor visibility you’d need to use your map and compass. After 7 months or trying I’d still not had chance to test out my navigation skills. Stood on the top next to the cliffs would not be the ideal time to find out they were shite! My knees were the other concern. Although I’d been spending quite a bit of time in the gym prior to the challenge they had still not completely recovered from the thrapping they’d received in Yorkshire. I’d bought knee supports and walking poles but still had a vision of my Dad having to carry me down Ben Nevis after an hour or two!
06:07 on the Friday morning was the start time. I’d had a giant bowl of weetabix and muesli to start me off and had made myself 2 chocolate spread sandwiches to take for the walk along with a few other munchies. To be honest, I was looking forward to the chocolate sandwiches more than the walk as the last time I’d had them was I was 12.
It turned out the tourist track up Ben Nevis was extremely easy to follow. Up to about 600m the weather was fine and warm. Above 600m the weather was just nasty, windy, raining and fairly low visibility. I’d managed one chocolate sandwich before the weather broke and didn’t intend stopping for another one until I was dry again. The walk up to the summit plateau was fairly uneventful, above 600m I’d not seen a thing bar the path in front of me and the only people I’d seen were two chaps running down.
The top was a little more interesting than the rest of the walk thankfully. Although it was only 3 days from July I had to walk through a 50m stretch of snow, the heavens had opened and the wind was icy cold. I’d also forgotten my hat and gloves so was less than impressed with my organisation skills! On route to the summit the cliff edge (with a 600m drop) is about 5 foot away from the path, it’s easy to see how people die every year on Ben Nevis. I spent about 10 minutes on top due to the weather and managed a couple of photos before the fingers froze up.
The route down was again fairly uneventful. I passed a lot more people on the way down and amazed me were the lads wondering up in tracksuit and trainers. The tourist track isn’t difficult but the amount of loose rocks mean the there’s quite a risk of twisting an ankle or falling. Maybe Mountain Rescue ought to start charging if they have to rescue people who are ill equipped to climb the mountain.
A view finally reappeared at about 500m and I could at last take off the waterproof coat. I got caught in the rain earlier on before I had chance to don the waterproof trousers so I was hoping I’d dry off fairly quickly. On the way down I took an un-necessary risk which thankfully didn’t result in too much injury but could have seen the challenge ending early. I’d noticed a fell runner taking a short cut through the heather to miss out the zig zagging path. Further on down the hill I though I’d try out the same trick. I forgot to take into account that the path I was on was stone and the path I was about to tread was mud (and that we’d had a shed load of rain earlier on!). As soon as my second foot touched the mud both feet went from under me. I landed on my backside with walking poles flailing around in one hand an a camera in the other. It was a real Indiana Jones moment as I slid down the side of this bank for about 30m on my ass. Thankfully as I tumbled out of the heather onto the path my only injuries were a bruised backside and a severe bout of humiliation as passers by gave me extremely disapproving glares. My error in judgement also meant I had to walk down the remaining mile covered in mud and receiving odd glances from other walkers.
I finally made it down in a total time of 4 hours 50 minutes. My knees had held out, I’d eaten my first chocolate sandwich since I was 12 and I’d just climbed (well, walked) the highest peak in the UK. Time for a 6 hour drive down to Scafell Pike.
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