The Big Ben Nevis with views all the way up wow

For a number of reasons, rather than go solo, I opted to take a guided small group walk up Ben Nevis, which is Britain's highest mountain at 4411 ft or 1345m in new money but the old school numbers seem to me a better achievement. I used Andy at Up and Doon guided walks and it was a good decision. Andy was chatty and informative and kept the pace just spot on for an enjoyable ascent. The group comprised a young Aussie girl visiting Scotland; a lady who flew up from London just to do this as a 50th birthday present to herself and a family from Maidstone who had driven up that morning from Stirling for that 8am start, everybody keen.

The week so far had been a mixture of sunshine and showers with today forecast likewise but a sunny day ahead tomorrow!! I considered cancelling and doing a solo tomorrow but stayed with the group and glad I did.
When I got up and looked out over Loch Lhinnie the waters were calm and the sky only light cloud, optimism? Meet up was 8am in the Ben Nevis carpark, surprisingly few cars around, £4 quid charge, cards accepted.
The track is excellent in the lower end only becoming lumpy and stony past the halfway mark. The track is known as the mountain or pony track or probably better named as the tourist route and most of the people we saw were from abroad. The morning was fresh and misty and looking above the cloud cover was in place, hmm. 

Mamores ahead

The initial climb from the Ben Nevis inn gains height quickly and there are good views to the caravan park below and directly ahead the views up Glen Nevis to The Mamores and Stob Ban are stupendous. We hear a throbbing engine sound and spot the grey smoke from the Mallaig steam train far below puffing westwards.

It seems like no time before we take the 1st turn left and now look inland and above us the huge mass and bulk of the mountain becomes apparent. A superb long waterfall cascades down from somewhere up there. 

High above some ant like figures are moving slowly along the tracks we will soon cover. It is all part of the awesome experience. I have often described hill walks that are covered in a zigzag route but this is the daddy of them all. 
After a few more turns and we reach the Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, I was wondering if this contained brown trout when in one area of clear water a couple of large circular ripples appeared indicating that might well be the case. 

This is commonly said to be the halfway point but the the true point is the waterfall just ahead, the same one we saw earlier but now a lot higher up.
We are fortunate that we have had much greater than expected visibility so the ever changing views have been outstanding.

Then the next series of rocky zig-zags begin. The underfoot is now much more rocky, bouldery with the strong possibility of unstable loose footing, much more dangerous on the descent but care still needs to be taken on the way up, bad time to sprain an ankle. Interspersed with good boulder step ups all the leg muscles are getting a good outing today.

The gradient is actually surprising straight forward thanks to these zig-zags but I am told more walkers do not finish than complete the climb, possibly overly ambitious and often unprepared tourists, there were quite a few of them around today.

Then we reach the summit plateau, not quite there yet but the finish is in sight, the observatory ruins can just be seen in the distance.

On the one hand this is just a barren lunar perspective, so atmospheric but all shades of grey, including the clouds just ahead. But then as we progress the vista opens up, looking straight ahead to the Aonach Mor ski slopes with some greenery showing. The red slopes of Carn Dearg Meadhonach another contrast.
There are many cairns which are essential for successful navigation in the often harsh conditions, beit just cloud cover or white out snow blizzards.

We can now peek over the edges and look into Five Finger Gully, my vertigo kicks in, it's a long way down but stunning. Looking back you can appreciate how easy it would be in bad conditions to lose your way and step off an unforgiving edge.

And now the final edges and the views of Gardyloo gully. Why named, think French, think the tradition of throwing human waste out of the window onto those below, you got the picture.

The observatory ruins are intriguing, plenty of pictures taken by the trig. But more importantly lunch is eaten whilst taking in the views that I really did not expect to see and how grateful I am that I was wrong again. 

They are quite simply magnificent and Scotland at its best. Just under 4 hours that was just right. The clouds that were appearing blocked our views north but a small pain. It was definitely cooler but no need for gloves.

The descent was initially one of concentration and the smug smile of the one that has been to the top passing the many still to do so or not in some cases. Descent was a careful 3hours 20 minutes enjoying the scenery and the company.
So overall a superb day, had good walking companions, a good guide and views that oh so many Scots will never get to see, even on this tourist mountain. Time to feel proud and reflect over a beer or two.
Time: 7 hours 20min
Ascent: 4248 ft
Distance: 8.58 miles