pitching a tent on ben nevis

Quoted message said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on ben nevis in January, is
there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work and are there any sheltered spots. cheers

Depends on the weather.

I have camped by the CIC in the past and the ground has been like concrete. Ice screws and ice pegs
are handy here.

Other times the ground has been soft and boggy, normal pegs are then OK.

It would be unwise not to go equipped for both eventualities.

Stuart.

Oh dear:

Discuss: "Why is the Lochabe Moutain Rescue Team (Fort William etc..) one of the busiest in the
UK, why do I see rescue helicopters 2-3 times a week in Fort William from my hoos some 5 miles
from Ben Nevis "

Scott: Think you should qualify your question to help us better answer it...
a) How windy will it be? Will you be able to stop being blown away trying to hold down the tent
when pitching it?
b) Soil: Hmmmn... Will in be frozen? Are you clearing the snow & ice off first or pitching on
the snow & ice?
c) Where pitch the tent on the Ben? On top (Almost all hard rock, boulders, scree..) so you fly
a long way when blown off? Or perhaps on one of the steeper bits on the way up (largely hard
rock) so you slide off even when pegged up with no wind ? Or perhaps at the bottom: The B&B's
of Fort William are so welcoming (well ,, mostly...)
d) Should you observe how many other happy walkers are carrying a pitchable peg-able tent in
January UP the Ben (perhaps the odd bivvy bag, rarely a tent) and take a lead from those
who don't.
e) Will you have room in your pack for the tent, ice screws, coffin (well why should mountain
rescue lug one up for you.. e) etc etc etc???

Please advise,

Mind you, if it is a cracking clear sunny calm day, you'll wonder as you sip your tea & admire the
view from you tent door what all the fuss was about...

Mind you you do see the odd tent near the CIC hut half-way up. Just near where so many fall off..

Yours ever Rab

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on

ben

Quoted message said:

nevis in January, is there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work and are there any sheltered
spots. cheers

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In message <[email hidden]>, Scott <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on ben nevis in January, is
there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work and are there any sheltered spots. cheers

Where on Ben Nevis? The summit? The lower slopes? The summit is likely to be mostly snow and pretty
devoid of shelter, if that helps.

Quoted message said:

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Scott <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on

ben

Quoted message said:

nevis in January, is there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work and are there any sheltered
spots. cheers

Tent in January on the Ben!! If there is snow just dig a snow hole for the night as I did 2 yrs ago
. Spent most of the night watching the stars, fantastic! However take care and respect the Ben or
become another statistic!

Rob. S Assistant Ranger North York Moors National Park.

Scott said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on ben nevis in January, is
there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work and are there any sheltered spots. cheers

theres a nice camp site at the bottome called glen nevis camp site. just put the ticket on your
guyline so the warden doesnt wake you up.

In message <[email hidden]>, Scott <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

do you think the ruins of the old observatory could be used as shelter for a tent?. cheers

A bit tricky when they are a) ruined and b) hidden under the snow. I've been up there twice both
times in late May and can't say I've noticed them. Also there was a shelter marked near the top of
#4 gully which I believe is also no longer there.

Do *not* count on finding any shelter on top of the Ben.

Quoted message said:

"Five Cats" <cats_spam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote in message "]news:gfeUZ0IvoG1$EwJ3@[127.0.0.1]...

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Scott <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on

ben

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

nevis in January, is there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are there any sheltered spots. cheers

Where on Ben Nevis? The summit? The lower slopes? The summit is likely to be mostly snow and
pretty devoid of shelter, if that helps.

--
Five Cats Email to: cats_spam at uk2 dot net

In message <[email hidden]>, Robin Shillito
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Scott <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on

ben

Quoted message said:

nevis in January, is there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work and are there any
sheltered spots. cheers

Tent in January on the Ben!! If there is snow just dig a snow hole for the night as I did 2 yrs ago
. Spent most of the night watching the stars, fantastic!

How often is it clear in January? ;-)

Quoted message said:

However take care and respect the Ben or become another statistic!

Rob. S Assistant Ranger North York Moors National Park.

--
Five Cats Email to: cats_spam at uk2 dot net

In message <[email hidden]>, Roger Chapman
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

The message <SD2YeOFPEZ1$Ew$M@[127.0.0.1]> from Five Cats <cats_spam@[127.0.0.1]> contains
these words:

Quoted message said:

How often is it clear in January? ;-)

ISTR that overall the top of The Ben is clear for 40 or 50% of the time or at least was when the
observatory was in working order.

During daylight or at night? I always suspect it's got more clear hours at night... ;-)

Quoted message said:

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In message <[email hidden]>, Roger Chapman
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

The message <Ald8nUGhgf1$Ewe3@[127.0.0.1]> from Five Cats <cats_spam@[127.0.0.1]> contains
these words:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

ISTR that overall the top of The Ben is clear for 40 or 50% of the time or at least was when the
observatory was in working order.

Quoted message said:

During daylight or at night? I always suspect it's got more clear hours at night... ;-)

I can't even remember if that point was made in the article I read but I suspect that as it was
an observatory it was the 24 hour figure, unless someone was careless and misrepresented the
sunshine figure.

There is always the chance that the records (or at least an abstract) might be available on the web
or in your friendly local library (assuming Fort Bill runs to one).

FW does have a library - but it was last week I was there. This week I am back with my nose to the
grindstone, having spent the first week of my holiday laid low with a virus feeling a drive to
Dundee (1 hour) was too much let along 3 hours to FW. The second week I did go. The oven needed deep
cleaning, so did the extractor over the hob and the other one in the kitchen ceiling. The kitchen
floor really needs scrubbing (and the kick boards under the units could do with taking off for more
deep cleaning) but by then I was knackered again and spending my time dozing, reading, listening to
R3 & R4, turning up the heating and watching day-time TV. :-(

I didn't even take the laptop with me. Think of that - 7 days without using a computer!

BTW people living near enough to the FW exchange can now enjoy ADSL (and presumably there are public
PCs available in the Library), though those in Corpach and Spean Bridge (both also 01397) don't even
have trigger levels set yet.

Quoted message said:

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thanks for they advice guys obviously going up in the first place will
depend on the weather and we will be taking bivi bags in case the weather
does change and the tents get flattened but even if we cant stay on ben
nevis overnight I don't think that I could stand a night in a cosy B&B with
mr and mrs mc dougall but cheers for the offer Rab.
"Rab" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Oh dear:

Discuss: "Why is the Lochabe Moutain Rescue Team (Fort William etc..) one

of

Quoted message said:

the busiest in the UK, why do I see rescue helicopters 2-3 times a week in Fort William from my
hoos some 5 miles from Ben Nevis "

Scott: Think you should qualify your question to help us better answer it...
a) How windy will it be? Will you be able to stop being blown away trying to hold down the
tent when pitching it?
b) Soil: Hmmmn... Will in be frozen? Are you clearing the snow & ice

off

Quoted message said:

first or pitching on the snow & ice?
c) Where pitch the tent on the Ben? On top (Almost all hard rock, boulders, scree..) so you
fly a long way when blown off? Or perhaps on one of the steeper bits on the way up (largely
hard rock) so you slide off

even

Quoted message said:

when pegged up with no wind ? Or perhaps at the bottom: The B&B's of Fort William are so welcoming
(well ,, mostly...)
d) Should you observe how many other happy walkers are carrying a pitchable peg-able tent in
January UP the Ben (perhaps the odd bivvy bag, rarely a tent) and take a lead from those
who don't.
e) Will you have room in your pack for the tent, ice screws, coffin (well why should mountain
rescue lug one up for you.. e) etc etc etc???

Please advise,

Mind you, if it is a cracking clear sunny calm day, you'll wonder as you

sip

Quoted message said:

your tea & admire the view from you tent door what all the fuss was

about...

Quoted message said:

Mind you you do see the odd tent near the CIC hut half-way up. Just near where so many fall off..

Yours ever Rab

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on

ben

Quoted message said:

nevis in January, is there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are there any sheltered spots. cheers

---
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do you think the ruins of the old observatory could be used as shelter for a
tent?. cheers
"Five Cats" <cats_spam@[127.0.0.1]> wrote in message
"]news:gfeUZ0IvoG1$EwJ3@[127.0.0.1]...

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Scott <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi forum, can anyone here tell me how easy it will be to pitch a tent on

ben

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

nevis in January, is there any soil for the pegs will normal pegs work

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are there any sheltered spots. cheers

Where on Ben Nevis? The summit? The lower slopes? The summit is likely to be mostly snow and
pretty devoid of shelter, if that helps.

Quoted message said:

--
Five Cats Email to: cats_spam at uk2 dot net

The message <SD2YeOFPEZ1$Ew$M@[127.0.0.1]>
from Five Cats <cats_spam@[127.0.0.1]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

How often is it clear in January? ;-)

ISTR that overall the top of The Ben is clear for 40 or 50% of the time or at least was when the
observatory was in working order.

--
Roger Looking North over the Aire Valley (and Marley Gasworks) to Rombolds Moor Top Posters
killfiled on sight

The message <Ald8nUGhgf1$Ewe3@[127.0.0.1]>
from Five Cats <cats_spam@[127.0.0.1]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

ISTR that overall the top of The Ben is clear for 40 or 50% of the time or at least was when the
observatory was in working order.

Quoted message said:

During daylight or at night? I always suspect it's got more clear hours at night... ;-)

I can't even remember if that point was made in the article I read but I suspect that as it was
an observatory it was the 24 hour figure, unless someone was careless and misrepresented the
sunshine figure.

There is always the chance that the records (or at least an abstract) might be available on the web
or in your friendly local library (assuming Fort Bill runs to one).

--
Roger Looking North over the Aire Valley (and Marley Gasworks) to Rombolds Moor Top Posters
killfiled on sight