Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. Ronald Turnbull

      photo: D McLean

      Ronald Turnbull is seen here on the Ledge Route of Ben Nevis, a hill he first climbed, at the age of nine, by way of Tower Ridge. Bidean nam Bian followed a few months later. Since then he has learnt to enjoy also the smaller and less arduous mountains in between, while admitting that the particular pleasure of writing this book has been the four further revisits to Bidean.

      He has won awards for his writing – the Outdoor Writers’ Guild Awards for Excellence eight times – and also for his walking – the Fell Running Association’s Long-distance Trophy for a journey over all the 2000ft hills of Southern Scotland.

      Other Cicerone guides by the author

      Not the West Highland Way

      The Book of the Bivvy

      Three Peaks, Ten Tors

      Walking Highland Perthshire

      Walking in the Cairngorms

      Walking Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

      Walking in the Southern Uplands

      Walking the Jurassic Coast

      © Ronald Turnbull 2017

      Second edition 2017

      ISBN-13: 978 1 85284 871 2

      First edition 2007

      Printed in China on behalf of Latitude Press Ltd

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

       © Crown copyright 2016 OS PU100012932

      All photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.

      Updates to this Guide

      While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. Any updates that we know of for this guide will be on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk/871/updates), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, 2 Police Square, Milnthorpe LA7 7PY, United Kingdom.

      Warning

      Mountain walking, and particularly scrambling or winter walking, can be dangerous activities carrying a risk of personal injury or death. It should be undertaken only by those with a full understanding of the risks and with the training and experience to evaluate them. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this book, the user should be aware that conditions can be highly variable and can change quickly, materially affecting the seriousness of a mountain walk. Therefore, except for any liability that cannot be excluded by law, neither Cicerone nor the author accept liability for damage of any nature (including damage to property, personal injury or death) arising directly or indirectly from the information in this book.

      To call out the Mountain Rescue, phone 999 from a landline. From a mobile, phone 999 or 112: these should connect you via any available network. Once connected to the emergency operator, ask for Police Scotland.

      Front cover: Arriving on Clach Leathad (Route 85) with Bidean nam Bian behind

      CONTENTS

       Map key

       Overview maps

       INTRODUCTION

       ‘Glen Coe, Glen Coe, it’s the place to go…’

       Getting there, getting about, food and shelter

       Oh, Sir Hugh Munro

       Walking conditions

       When to go

       Safety in the mountains

       Maps

       Compass and GPS

       Using this guide

       1 FORT WILLIAM AND GLEN NEVIS

       Route 1 Cow Hill and Druimarbin

       Route 2 Nevis Gorge

       Route 3 Meall Cumhann

       Route 4 Down Glen Nevis

       Route 5 Corrour Station to Glen Nevis

       Route 6 Caledonian Canal

       2 BEN NEVIS AND THE AONACHS

       Summit summary: Ben Nevis

       Route 7 Ben Nevis by the Mountain Track

       Route 8 Carn Mor Dearg Arête

       Route 9 Ledge Route

       Route 10 Half Ben Nevis (CIC Hut)

       Route 11 Meall an t-Suidhe

       Route 12 Carn Mor Dearg East Ridge