# Ben Nevis via the CMD Arete



## User (4 May 2014)




----------



## Pat "5mph" (4 May 2014)

Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing!
Must admit that for a moment I thought you mountain biked it, said to myself, wow, didn't know one could 
Looks like hard work but well worth the effort for the views, well done!


----------



## cosmicbike (4 May 2014)

Great pics. I did it in June last year, and the snow was so deep you could only make out the roof of the old observatory. That and 90mph winds made it all quite fun! Our weather started really nice, clear and sunny. By the summit it had changed somewhat.


----------



## welsh dragon (4 May 2014)

Beautiful photos everyone. Many thanks for letting us see them


----------



## jonny jeez (9 May 2014)

[QUOTE 3062634, member: 30090"] There are two main ways of summiting the highest mountain in the UK, the first is the 'mountain track' AKA 'Tourist path' a rather mundane footpath that runs for about 6 miles, it's path intermittent with large stones to stop path corrosion but in doing so means that legs take a pounding on the way up, and your knees on the way back down. Rather boring, does not do the mountain justice but is a good day out for the family.

And the other way is the via the CMD Arete.....

View attachment 44211
[/QUOTE]

I had no idea. I climbed Nevis a few years back on the "tourist" path and was very disappointed. constant zig zagging made you feel you were making no progress and after 30 times of saying hello to the fella in front who walked past you every turn, you start to run out of greetings!

Will have to add this to my list. looks like a very dramatic "Striding edge!"


----------



## Spinney (9 May 2014)

[QUOTE 3071207, member: 30090"]It's superb, I went up the tourist path last year and taking away from the fact that it is the main path up Ben Nevis then it is utter dire. The numerous steps which feel like 1000 staircases take it out of your legs and my knees took such a pounding on the way down I had trouble walking for a couple of weeks after.

There are some parts of the Arete that are a bit hairy and you need a head for heights imo but overall it's fine for a bit of scrambling. And the parts where you have mahoosive rocks that you have to scramble over there are some well worn paths that bypass these. Just make sure you take an ice axe if you are going before June and some walking poles for getting up the slope to CMD summit to make it a bit easier on the legs.[/QUOTE]
I _haven't_ got a head for heights, and I managed it without too much problem.

I do remember having an 'Oh, s**t' moment on the top of Carn Mor Dearg when I saw the arete - it looked really narrow and scary, but what you can't see until you are onto it is that the side away from you has a relatively shallow slope (for an arete, that is!).

When I did it, though, I started up the tourist path as far as the lochan, dropped down into the valley beyond and then up the very steep side of Carn Dearg. If I ever do it again I will use the more sensible car park described in the OP!


----------

