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Path to Nowhere?Friday, 29 August 2008
The Nevis Partnership are looking for opinion on the new path which leads from the Pony Track past the 'Halfway Lochan' towards the Torlundy, North Face car park. Currently this excellent path finishes abruptly at the northern outflow of the Lochan. It has always been planned to extend this very important link and finish what would make a logical route, not only for climbers, but day trippers. posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 12:02 
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© Alan Kimber, Calluna, Heathercroft, Fort William, PH33 6RE, Scotland
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7 Comments:
Alan,
Does it really matter?! All that it needs to do is to head down towards the upper carpark and then cross over the stream, so that it connects up with the path from the North Face Carpark. Or am I missing something?!
Duncan Francis
Duncan,
It may be something to do with quality of the ground on the west side of the stream, compared to the east. However, if climbers are encouraged to cross over the stream and it's in spate, that will create a safety issue. One big problem climber's will find is that Nevis Partnership are not considering linking this path to the one from the North Face Car Park at all. They have suggested to me that they would like to encourage people over the outflow by creating a path on the other side and then only build 50 metres of that path before stopping.
Some people out there are even trying to get rid of the path entirely. No doubt we'll be hearing from them shortly.
Also, Nevis Partnership should realise, that the current paths on the east side of the outflow have been used by climbers for many years. If the ground is being damaged it will benefit from drainage and a path which focuses on a specific route avoiding any delicate plants or ground. A prime example of how popular routes get damaged if they are left unmanaged is the old approach from behind the Golf course or Distillery. Now the new path from Torlundy is in place through the woods, that original path ground will recover, given time.
You should have seen the Allt a'Mhuilinn path to the CIC Hut when I moved up here in 1970. It had a global reputation of a real bog-fest path. The ground has been given a chance to recover since the sensible management of approach paths to the North Face has taken place. Hopefully Nevis Partnership can convince the doubters that similar management is required for climbers and walkers in descent from the Halfway- Lochan over an area which is heavily used, especially in the winter months.
Neither should we just focus on paths to reduce damage. Path facilities on Ben Nevis are important when considering the enjoyment factor of visitors to the area. Many of whom will travel from countries where decent mountain trails come as standard.
The Chairman of the Nevis Partnership (Cameron McNeish) said this about the access path to the CIC Hut, so why will he not support a good path all the way from the Halfway Lochan towards the All a'Mhuilinn? The same people using the good path in ascent will be using the bog-trot in descent. Over to you Cameron.
.....“I’m certain this new path will be welcomed by all those who visit the North Face of the Ben,” said Cameron McNeish. “We sometimes tend to forget that the walk in to a climb and the walk out are part and parcel of the mountain experience and trampling over badly eroded or muddy footpaths can take the edge off that experience. It can even put off visitors from coming back again.”....
I think extending the path down to the Allt a'Mhuillin car park is a great idea. Scores of people coming off the Ben do that trek anyway at the end of the day, and the erosion is visible. The mountainside coming off the half way lochan to the car park is suffering from poor management. We'd all be better off having a properly maintained path, the sooner the better.
Alan
I as a local user agree with you that this path is perfect and seems a bit odd that its currently a path to nowhere. So its very logical that it should be joined up.
I 100% want to see the path joined .
Campbell
Another vote for the link up path here. The 2 people I came down from the lochan with the other day had experience of pathwork overseas and found it bizarre that there was any question over this at all. Arguments about eroding the 'wild' nature of Ben Nevis feel spurious to me given the enormous traffic it sees year round on the one hand and the fact that a low level path wont make it feel any less wild in a storm on top. there are now several different eroded lines appearing on the face of that hillside and they will only get worse. Al @ The Ice Factor
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