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 lower Glen Nevis; but with a touch of mountain ground, plus Linnhe views, on Druimarbin.
Start at the car park at the Ballachulish end of Fort William. Follow the loch-side pavement northeast around the town to a roundabout with the old fort, the start of the Great Glen Way, on the left. GGW waymarkers lead along tarred path to left of McDonalds, then through a warehouse area. Dogleg right then left among houses to a road bridge across River Nevis.
Cross, and ignoring a track beside the river, turn right up a fenced path beside houses for 300 metres. Keep ahead along Dubh MacDonald Road, then bear right to the A82. Cross into a street signposted for the Ben Nevis Inn, but after 100 metres turn right on a stone bridge over River Nevis. Turn left on pavement for 400 metres, until a track forks down left to another crossing of River Nevis, a metal footbridge.
Turn right to a small car park, where a good path continues ahead along the river. After 1.2km, cross a footbridge into the car park of the Nevis Visitor Centre (Ionad Nibheis). Pass along riverbank to left of the visitor centre, onto a path through trees to the Glen Nevis road. Continue for 50 metres, to a path on the right signed as the Peat Track to Cow Hill. Head up the wide path; as you enter trees, a gate on the right leads to a footbridge to the nearby burial ground, a place of not terribly antique gravestones and beech trees. Return to the Peat Track and continue up.
At a forest road crossing, right is signed for Fort William, but keep ahead up the steep but good path for Cow Hill. At the top of the trees, keep ahead on the path to meet a track. Turn right, for 1.5km to Cow Hill. At the radio mast, keep ahead for a few steps for a view down onto Fort William.
Return along the track. After it passes the path you came up on, it bends round to the right. Follow the track down to a road at the edge of Fort William.
Turn left up to a car park viewpoint and picnic place. Opposite this, go through a rusty metal gate. Head up, with a fence on the right to start with, to a second rusty red gate onto open hill. A peaty, heathery path leads uphill and follows the rounded crest to the trig point on Druimarbin, with a lovely view along Loch Linnhe.
On Druimarbin, view to Fort William and Great Glen
Turn round – the views now are along the Great Glen – and head back to the road at the viewpoint. Turn left, downhill, past the end of the Peat Track and into Fort William. Keep ahead down Lundavra Road for 500 metres. Just after a bridge over a stream, at a waymark post, turn left down a tarred lane. After it recrosses the stream, turn right down steps then a tarred path. Keep ahead down Ashburn Lane to the A82.
Cross the main road and take paths past flowerbeds along the lochside, to the walk start.
ROUTE 2
Nevis Gorge
