Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the UK
Main Route 10.75 miles out and back
Elevation gain 4,146 feet
Near Fort Williams
Reported average speed that is posted is between 7 and 9 hours
Yes we did it! In 6 hours 15 minutes!
(They have a run every year on the mountain and the best runner did it in 1 hour 25 minutes). For the life us of we can not figure out how this is possible. The men’s course record was set in 1984, when Kenny Stuart of Keswick Athletic Club won the race with a timeof 1:25:34. The women’s record is 1:43:01, set by Victoria Wilkinson in 2018.
In addition to cheating, they must have had a clear day, of which there are only 14 per year. We, on the other hand, had a foggy and eventually soggy day. The climb was a steady even grind. About 2/3 up, we got into the clouds and a few spritzes. Later as the top was blowing cold and wet (felt like about 20F), we climbed inside the bothy (the pile of rocks on the right in the photo) and struck up a warm conversation with some Romanians – friendly, comparing notes on our dampness, travels, and next destinations. But for 30 minutes out of the cold, we could have talked with anyone.
On the way down, the clouds let loose, and we were soaked but still having a lot of fun as the rain and hail pelted away. It was wonderful to get to the bottom and run to the bathroom for a change to dry clothes. 4 per year. We, on the other hand, had a foggy and eventually soggy day. The climb was a steady even grind. About 2/3 up, we got into the clouds and a few spritzes. As the top was blowing cold and wet (felt like about 20F), we climbed inside the bothy (the pile of rocks on the right in the photo) and struck up a warm conversation with some Romanians. For 30 minutes out of the cold, we could have talked with anyone.
On the way down, the clouds let loose, and we were soaked but still having a lot of fun as the rain and hail pelted away. It was wonderful to get to the bottom and run to the bathroom for a change to dry clothes.
http://box5166.temp.domains/~funitude/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/img_2853.mov
This is not our picture, but what the top should look like on one of those 14 sunny days!
