Skywatch Friday - Ben Nevis



My son climbed Ben Nevis recently as a fund raiser for a student charity he's involved in.  The Ben is Britain's highest mountain - at 4,409 feet it's not lofty by the standards of the Alps or the Rockies, but we're fond of it.  There's a lot of traffic up it.  100,000 ascents a year, including a race and many charity ascents, occasionally involving pushing a piano to the top.  The pianos and ordinary walkers use a well-maintained track ('trails' aren't the norm on Scottish hills), but there's also serious climbing and scrambling by other routes, including ice climbing.    The mountain is owned by the John Muir Trust, a wild land conservation charity.

The path starts gently enough.  This is not a normal Spring, so I don't know whether the trickle of water in the burn is normal for this time of year or if it should be a torrent of snow-melt.
 

A plateau with a lochan (a 'little loch') seems to have offered a bit of respite from the uphill slog.



At last some snow, and ridge upon ridge of mountains fading into the distance.
 


A final uphill pull.  Notice all the footprints!
 

The summit is dotted with cairns, looking like offerings to the god of the Mountain.


All this exertion (and sunburn) was in aid of the Glasgow University Student Volunteers Abroad project that my son will be part of in Nepal this summer.  The volunteers will be involved in construction work and in teaching. You can read about the project here, and if anyone is moved to make even a very tiny donation in support, you can do so on my son's page at Charity Giving . He would be very grateful!


For other skies around the world, visit Skywatch Friday.



Comments

  1. Beautiful sky with beautiful nature.

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  2. wow.. Awesome picture with beautiful nature

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  3. Breathtaking photos. Happy sky watching.

    My Sky.

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  4. wow, great serie, your son was lucky with the weather :)
    I think i 'll go to visit Mr Ben this summer :)

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  5. Oh, my! I absolutely love these views! What gorgeous photos - but it looks very cold!

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  6. Beautiful photos Linda, love the one with the stone steps............Great opportunity for your son to visit Peru he must be very excited. Only wish when i was at school there was more interest in other cultures and these types of experiences available.My youngest daughter spent year 9 in Vietnam and had a fantastic time.

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  7. Wonderful post!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  8. That's the track we went up in 2003! The conditions were very similar to those on your blog. It was a beautiful sunny day, though very snowy and very cold on the summit. Well done to your son. It might not, as you say, be the loftiest of mountains but it's still a bit of a slog to get to the top - well worth it though. What a wonderful adventure your son has got to look forward to.

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  9. You're right Linda!!! Both our posts have a bit of a Star Trek surreal look to them!!! What a beautiful spot you chose to post!!!

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  10. Outstandingly beautiful shots!

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  11. Stunning photos! Can't imagine pushing a piano up to the top, but well done to your son for doing it without!!! If he loved Ben Nevis, he'll adore Nepal, it's such a stunning country - especially if he gets a chance to go walking in the Annapurnas, in the foothills of the Himalayas :) Erika's SWF

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  12. WOW those photos are incredible. Good for your son! I hope he really enjoys his time in Nepal.

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  13. That looks like some trek up there. Beautiful pictures!

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  14. What a wonderful way to raise money, the views are truly breathtaking!

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  15. Wonderful pictures ! It must have been a really cool hiking

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  16. Fabulous pics he took! What a place. Love the little loch.

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  17. That is some incredible natural beauty and I love your shots of it. I'd love to climb Ben Nevis one day.

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  18. When I first glimpsed the first picture, my thought was, "Oh wow!" and it didn't change much as I looked at the reat of the shots of that beautiful mountain. All of those pictures were so beautiful. Your son will likely have many adventures in his life. I think that it is great that he is able to see so many places while he is still young.

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  19. the pictures take my breath away ! You should be so proud of your son ! Wonderful that he participates in this and will get to see and live in Nepal ! wow !

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  20. This was a great hike for him. It really takes you up into the snow. Great sky shots.

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  21. My husbands mother was from Fort William so we have a huge affection for this special mountain. Who doesn't? I wrote a poem Ben Nevis on Oct 23rd 2011 it can be seen in my archives. Love the photos.

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  22. Why do I NOT live in Scotland? I'll tell you. Because the world is a cruel, unfair place. Except in Scotland, of course.

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  23. We may have the Rockies (I am looking at them now out my window, in fact) but you have The Ben and the Highlands, which are breath-takingly beautiful in their own right! Thank you for sharing these stunning photos!

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  24. Wow! beautiful pics! Just arrived on your blog and it's now a favourite.

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