As you can see from the pictures from my Ben Nevis Climb on Saturday Ben Nevis was at her most benign and beautiful on Saturday. It was something like my 130th time to the summit and probably the best weather and visibility that I have ever experienced on a summer Ben Nevis Climb.
Lucy and I were leading a group of 12 to the summit of the Ben via the mountain track and I wanted to jump for joy when I rolled out of my bed on Saturday morning to see wall to wall blue sky over Ben Nevis. The beautiful weather continued all day and made for one of the best days I have ever had walking in Scotland.
The group did really well on the ascent and even the slower climbers were up in just over four hours. After a birthday celebration including candles and cake for both Emily and Danny I decided to lead half the group down via the CMD Arete, normally a route I only do when private guiding on Ben Nevis. It goes without saying that as ever the CMD Arete did not disappoint and for those who hadn’t done any exposed walking before it was a real rush.
After a long descent and increasingly aching legs we reached the North Face Car park at just after 6pm, huge smiles all round and thanks to the group for an absolutely amazing day. Cold beer was well and truly deserved!
It definitely rates right up there with the very best mountain days I have ever had. The only thing I am worried about is am I going to have to climb Ben Nevis another 130 times before I get the weather that good again.
The weekend has just left me desperate to escape the office soon and get out into the Scottish hills asap.
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