Between Scotland’s highest peak climb and meteorology

Ben NevisThe peaks of Glen Coe and the surrounding mountains offer some of the most beautiful snow and ice climbs in all of Europe.
Despite ben nevis Scotland Not even reaching 1,500 meters above sea level is one of the most difficult tasks in which climbers Weather conditions are unpredictable And changing strongly, so much so that the Scottish Meteorological Society’s observatory was built here between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

The observatory collected an extraordinary amount of data and was the basis for the creation of a “cloud chamber” by scholar Charles Wilson, a device for detecting elementary particles inside which vapor would be collected as small droplets, fine fog. is.

Ben Nevis: Scotland’s Highest Peak

Even though ben nevis has the height of the sun 1344 m And this Most of all the British Isles.
Ben Nevis is located near the small town of Fort William and the Glen Nevis Valley within the Lochanar region Mountainous terrain And is part of a series of Monty grumpiani. The mountain forms a mass with its neighbor to the north-east, the Carn mer deer, with which it is connected by the Carn mer deer Argate Pass.

The name Ben Nevis is a Gaelic translation of the phrase “bn nibis”, where bean stands for mountain and nibahis “Mountains in the clouds“.
huge Flat plateau Ben Nevis spans approximately 40 hectares and is a spectacular amenity point because when clouds give way to view the landscape that you see from one side, nearby mountains such as Torridan, Kyrgyms and the valley are called Glen Coe and on the other. From le Hybridian Islands.

Invention of Meteorological Observatory and Cloud Room

See you on the way by climbing to the top of Ben Nevis The ruins of the astronomical observatory Implanted by Scottish Meteorological Society in 1883 At the behest of Queen Victoria who financed its construction.

Some fearless man lived over Ben Nevis Until 1904, Almost always surrounded by clouds and exposed to snow and lightning storms with temperatures, even reaching -15 ° centigrade; These brave scholars They recorded all the atmospheric changes Considering the speed of rainfall and wind, but also keeping in mind the temperature and humidity One and a half million pieces of data.

They were included by other scientists during the summer and autumn months Charles wilson Who started here to study the clouds and draw the data necessary for the creation of “Cloud room“, A device that made it possible to understand the formation of clouds and thanks to this, in 1927 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Data collected in those years are still used today: according to observations made by the observatory, in fact, fog peaks existed for about 80% of the time between November and January, and 55% of the time in May and June. Month of According to the temperature, the average winter temperature was -5 ° C and the average annual temperature was -0.5 ° C.
In addition, an average of 260 storms occurred on the summit in a year, with 4 350 mm of rain, more than double that of nearby William City.

Still used to climb to the top of The Ben today Mule track, Call Pony trackIn the nineteenth century, for donkeys, which transported machinery and supplies to the observatory, however, fell into dispose in 1904 due to high management costs.

Climb to the top of ben nevis

100,000 people challenge Ben Nevis’s highest peak every year amid fearsome climatic conditions and difficult paths to the top.

Although the mountain is relatively low, climbing the summit puts a pressure on the climbers they will have to deal with. Extreme climatic conditions And unexpected, with Sudden snow storm And low temperatures that challenge climbers.
To reach the summit, in fact, they are necessary Excellent physical condition And equipment suited to the nature of the terrain, the climb can last 6 to 8 hours.

Periodically competitions were held from 1903, which lasted for the next 24 years, until the observatory at the top of the summit was closed.
Held today Ben nevis race, Which takes place on the first Saturday of September every year, and hosts a maximum of 500 runners. The race starts and ends at the Clagen Park football ground in Fort William, and runs a length of 16 kilometers and an altitude of 1,340 meters.

by reason Mountain danger, Admission is limited to those who have completed the first three hill races, and the runner must bring a raincoat, hat, gloves and a whistle; In addition, those who do not reach the summit after two hours are obliged to return.

The fame of Ben Nevis is also associated with the influential and influential North side, Painted by Vertical walls, Buttress, Ridges and ridges, With Ice climbing routes, A mixed terrain of snow and all hardships and a development that can reach more than 600 meters.

The starting point for many climbers along the north face is the famous All A’Mahlin trail, which leads to the 680m CIC Hut, a private alpine retreat owned by the Scottish Mountaineering Club.

People who did not want to climb or climb Ben Nevis because of extreme difficulty, they like skiing,Aa ach nach peacock, Is a mountain located about 3 kilometers to the north-east, where A. Ski station Along relative cableways.
Finally, to warm up after athletic feats, with tasting guided tour Ben nevis distillery Fort William, where you can get acquainted with one of the most notable Fine Scottish whiskey.