ROUTE: Tourist path
MEMBERS OF PARTY: With Marion, leading my younger brother Stephen and his two teenagers, Thomas and Shauna.
CONDITIONS: Warm, sunny, no wind.
DURATION: About 7 hrs car to car. Not bad at all for this party!
SKILLS PRACTISED: Planning. Leading a novice group. Stephen had approached me saying the kids were keen to climb Ben Nevis on their next holiday from Belfast - in the end they made a special long weekend trip. I organised overnight accommodation at Alan Kimber's Calluna Croft on the Saturday night - we had stayed there previously for winter climbing trips and it fitted the bill for our party. We liaised on the kit list, and in the mid summer conditions, with Midges the only real hazard, plenty of capacity to carry water was probably the main issue.
MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT:
KEY LEARNING POINTS/CONTRIBUTION TO EXPERIENCE: On reflection, perhaps my first ML experience, although at the time I was blissfully unaware of the MTA or any training programmes! All went according to plan, the kids enjoying the ascent, including the novelty of midsummer snow patches en route, but understandably flagging a little on the long descent.
Area :
Ben Nevis (Fort William To Loch Leven)
This area covers the mountains between Fort William, Loch Leven (to the south) and Loch Treig (to the east). The area includes Ben Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg, The Mamores, The Aonachs and The Grey Corries. An impressive 20 Munros are split equally by Glen Nevis and the waters of Abhainn Rath. Relatively accessible from the A82, these mountains hold some classic walking and climbing routes such as The Ring of Steall in the Mamores and Point Five Gully on Ben Nevis. Includes all major peaks above 600m.
