Ben Nevis – Climb the highest peak of the U.K. and discover Scotland

Ben Nevis: Do you want to go on top of the United Kingdom? If it’s the case, you are reading what you need to. Here, I will tell you everything you need to know about Ben Nevis.

My travel report in Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis was part of a road trip I did all around Scotland. Between the Isle of Mull, Inverness, Edinburgh, and other remote villages. It was the climax of this road trip. For this step, I slept in Fort William -the closest town to the mountain- during two nights. It abled me to see this incredible mountain several times.

It is always a pleasure to admire Ben Nevis from all angles and with all weather conditions. Scotland can be rainy. When it is the case, some fog can fall all around the mountain. That creates the same kind of atmosphere that you can feel when you go to the Old Man of Storr. On the other hand, when it is sunny, the lights on the yellowish grass makes the landscape incredible: wilderness at his best! I had the chance to enjoy these two weather conditions and I can tell how different it looks. The only thing I did not see is the snow that we can sometimes notice on top.

Another paradise for climbers

Just like El Capitan in the Yosemite Valley, Ben Nevis can be climbed. Indeed, there is a nice cliff, which you can see in the next picture below. Even if Yosemite is yet another level for climbers, Ben Nevis is already a very good start for hardened climbers.

If you want to know more about the level required to climb Ben Nevis, I recommend that you read the article I wrote on the topic.

Some climbers keep trying to get on top of the U.K. With the photographer Hamish Frost, who takes climbing and trekking pictures, Greg Boswell braved the challenge. Check the outstanding picture from this adventure just below. And learn more about more Greg Boswell on his Instagram page, to know where to climb great mountains.

What I recommend

If climbing is not your cup of tea, you can still follow my steps. My experience in Ben Nevis was great. You have two options to sleep: in Fort William or in Glen Coe, an even smaller village. If you choose the latter, you will really sleep inside the mountains, at the bottom of the Glencoe Valley. They both have their advantages and their drawbacks, so you should not overthink this decision too much.

Then, once you choose where to sleep, you have done the hardest. You can simply enjoy the view. There are several hikes in the area. Walking is a great way to admire this place, so I would advise you to hike here. However, you should be careful about the weather: the rain could catch you!

Are there hotels near Ben Nevis?

My trip to Scotland is getting a bit old. I went there during the summer of 2014, but I still hold great memories from this country. The people are the kindest in the world and the landscape comes straight from a fantasy movie. Ben Nevis is one of the landscape I remember the most. It is the highest point of Great Brittain and I would love to come back there to climb it or camp in the area.

But when it comes to the accommodations, where should you sleep? Are there hotels near Ben Nevis?

There are hotels in Fort William, which is the closest town to Ben Nevis. People can also book Bed & Breakfast rooms for overnight trips, which are very common in Scotland.

Stepping back

There is no better way to be inspired after reading an article than by stepping back. To step back from Ben Nevis, here are some drone shots. Of course, seeing it for real is way more impressive so visiting the place would be the best. If you do, I would love to hear about your travel report in Ben Nevis in the future.

See you somewhere in the world.