Previous page: Snowdon from the Pinnacles and Capel Curig, Snowdonia. Clockwise from above: Snowdon; the ruins of Dolbadarn Castle, built by the Princes of Gwynedd in the 13th century, at the foot of Snowdon; Lower Falls, Glen Nevis; Glenfinnan Viaduct
F
rom the highest mountain in the British Isles – Scotland’s Ben Nevis – to the huge fell of Scafell Pike in England’s Lake District and the
mighty Snowdon in Wales, Britain’s three great peaks dominate their surrounding landscapes in some of the most strikingly beautiful locations to be found anywhere in the country. And they’re not just walking and climbing hotspots; they are places of heritage and legend, surrounded by a variety of beautiful and inspiring places to visit. The imposing Ben Nevis, at the western end
of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, rises 1,344 metres (4,409ft) above sea level, a powerful mass of snow-capped granite. To the south and west it towers grandly over the town of Fort William, streams and walkways snaking over its hulking sides, but to the north and east it is almost Alpine in scale and character, riven with immense ridges, buttresses and gullies rising from the Allt a’ Mhuilinn (‘mill by the stream’) to the summit plateau. The name Ben Nevis is from the Gaelic,
‘Beinn Nibheis’ – ‘nibheis’ having several meanings but often translated as ‘malicious’ or ‘venomous’. With its hazardous north face
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and complex climate and topography the mountain is indeed a brooding presence and a formidable opponent for any climber. Another interpretation of the name, however, is that it derives from ‘beinn nèamh-bhathais’, translated literally and affectionately as ‘the mountain with its head in the clouds’. ‘The Ben’, as the locals call it, attracts some
100,000 ascents every year; the majority following the tourist path that winds up the mountain at a relatively easy incline offering panoramic views of distant peaks and the glen below before climbing into the clouds. If you’re after a quiet walk in the peace of the Highlands though, bear in mind that this is a busy route as people take advantage of the well-constructed trail in all but the worst weather. Some will be taking part in the popular Three Peaks Challenge, a mountain endurance test where participants attempt to reach the highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales in 24 hours, with the aim of fundraising for charity. Ben Nevis is normally the first mountain climbed, and there’s a lighthearted atmosphere along the path as the teams embark on the five-hour walk. If you prefer to avoid the Three Peak's teams, climb the mountain from the Nevis
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