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These are posted as and when I have the time or information. Climbers are welcome to let me know what they find anywhere in Scotland, and I will try and post this information also. Links to other relevant sites are at the top and foot of this page. Important links as follows:

Nevis Footpaths

Sunday, 31 May 2009


Good to see the work starting again on the main summit path of Ben Nevis. Unfortunately in my opinion the Nevis Partnership are yet to reach a sensible decision on extending the good, but half completed path past the Half Way Lochan towards Torlundy. One worker on the Nevis Partnership said that a particularly virulent form of common sense would need to break out for that to happen. Most climbers I know live in hope of a good path, high up on the moor, which they can use when descending back to the very good and improved North Face Car Park approach. We live in hope as usual.


posted by Westcoast Mountainguides @ 10:01 


2 Comments:

Blogger John Allen said...

Hello path lovers wherever you are,
An extension of the path from the Halfway Lochan towards Torlundy would offend my sense of wildness in the view up the Allt a 'Mhuillin. Another 'convenience' path, man-made where no path went before, is not a matter of common sense, as the writer suggests, but yet another small intrusion into what is left of wild places on Ben Nevis.
Please leave that bit unravaged by man and machines for the sake of future generations, as I would like to think would also be the view of John Muir, Bill Murray and Tom Weir.
Best wishes to all.
John Allen

31 May 2009 20:05  

Blogger Westcoast Mountainguides said...

Thanks for that John. You may not remember, but that route has been used both in descent and ascent for over 100 years. The Victorians who gave us a good path to the summit, plus a weather station and a hotel to boot, hiked up from Lochy Bridge. Latterly the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team used this route to access the south side of the mountain, before helicopters came to the rescue. For the last thirty eight years I have been tramelling a path on this route, along with thousands of other climbers. Your idea of wild does not reflect mine in this particular location. There are hundreds of other bog-ridden climbers who would agree with me. I understand you may find peace and quiet in Knoydart, where once thousands of highlanders made a living. Also check out Coire Eoghainn as a trackless area on Ben Nevis. There are far less people stumbling into that area now we have some good waymarkers on the summit plateau:)

Take care,

Alan

1 June 2009 21:12  

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