About 1 hour into the trek we realised the path split into two. On one side (keeping left towards the reservoir/lake) there were pretty steep steps that gradually evened out and reunited with the other path, making this way slightly easier. If you followed the path to the right (as I did) then you will experience a wetter, slippery, and overall steeper and tougher path.

You will probably save a bit of time going towards the right but it will likely take more out of you as this is one of the steepest points of the whole climb up.

By now everyone had taken up their positions based on their respective pace.

I have learned so far that most difficult hikes like to have a trick up their mountainous sleeves, whether it be a lack of oxygen (Rainbow Mountain), an impassable-looking stream to cross (Scafell Pike), or in this case, 'ol Ben decides to throw in a wall of snow and ice to contend with.

I can't tell you how happy I was upon seeing the 'white wall', happy that I finally invested in proper waterproof footwear before this trip. I was prepared!

And by this point, all our coats and jumpers were back on and zipped up. The climb consisted of a show reel of every season, the start of the hike was summer then came a bit of spring, mixed into autumn, and finally winter at the summit.  

I was a little taken aback to see snow up there at the beginning of June but it did help carve beautiful figures on the landscape that looked awesome. It also helped me take my mind off struggling with the last few steps, even if it was for a split second.

_{(Click on images to expand)}

The Ben Nevis Summit

The snow also helped to bring contrast to the Scottish flag that we brought with us, specifically for this moment...

It was definitely worth it in the end, there is a great view to behold but before I could take any pictures I did my customary collapse on the rock for a good 30 minutes, it was well-needed.

Can a beginner climb Ben Nevis?

It was a difficult task to reach the top. One of my friends was a total beginner and he made it to the summit in just over 4 hours, a few of the 'athletes' of the group made it in just under 3 hours, and I had managed just under 3.5 hours. On average I'd say around the three-hour mark is the norm for a relatively active person. So, yes a beginner can climb Ben Nevis but it won't be quick!

Difficulty level: 6.9/10

Steps taken: around the 20,000 mark. My phone records my steps so it does not calculate the gradient or heart rate and the fact that you're basically on a stepping machine the whole way up. It was well over 1500 calories burned. However, my friend did have a fit bit and it calculated around 4000 calories burned. How accurate that is I am not sure.

Fitbit and other smartwatches are a great way to keep track of your health. Amazon has a great selection of these watches, follow the link if you want to see me.

Final Thoughts on Hiking Ben Nevis

The three peaks challenge is finally over and it only took three years in the midst of a pandemic to conquer all. But it was the pandemic that gave rise to the occasion as we would never have thought of staying and exploring the UK if it wasn't for the lockdowns. I now have more cherished and grateful memories of the UK outside of the big cities. There really is a lot to explore and I would urge you to try and see what the UK has to offer. However, the pinnacle of my UK endeavours has to be the highest peak of the UK, Ben Nevis. Standing tall and standing proud and rightly so, as this for me is one of the most demanding and invigorating things to do when visiting Scotland and the UK.

The question I get asked most is which of the three peaks is the toughest? Check out my post on Conquering the Ultimate Challenge here. Where my answer may surprise you.

If you find the Ben Nevis climb daunting then why not do a Ben Nevis Guided Walk? TripAdvisor has plenty of options, follow the link to check them out.

_{We want to let you know that some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only promote products and services that we truly believe in, and the commission we earn helps us keep this website running. Thank you for your support!}