Ben Nevis
Britains highest mountain at 4406 feet (1344 metres) popular with climbers and hillwalkers. Spectacular views of the Ben from the northern approaches to Fort William.
The John Muir Trust acquired the 4158 acre Ben Nevis Estate in June 2000. The Trust recognises that, despite its popularity for walking and climbing, Ben Nevis retains some of the basic characteristics of "wild land". It offers extensive areas, particularly at high altitude, where one can experience a near natural environment and a sense of remoteness and adventure.
The estate, 1700 ha (4158 acres), covers roughly the summit and southern slopes of the Ben itself, and a string of other peaks to the east, with their slopes down to the Water of Nevis. The summits to the east are Carn Mor Dearg (1223 m), Aonach Beag (1234 m), and Sgurr Choinnich Beag (963 m). The estate map shows the boundaries.
Ben Nevis has a huge whale-back shape that ends abruptly in 2000 ft cliffs to its north-east. To the south, the Water of Nevis plunges from high grass flats through a steep densely wooded gorge. To some, these two aspects of the Ben recall the Alps and the Himalaya.
Created by geological and geomorphological processes, Ben Nevis is of great scientific interest for its flora and fauna with several rare species and many important habitats. Weather devotees will be drawn to the story of the Mountain Top Observatory, where resolute Victorian scientists collected weather data, even in heavy gales and violent winter storms.
Others may be fascinated by the history of the mountain, and its place in literature.
Contact
Ben Nevis
Fort William
PH33
Scotland
WWW: http://www.jmt.org/cons/nevis
