Best Maps For Ben Nevis

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Best Maps For Ben Nevis

By Dave Roberts   

on March 16, 2019   No ratings yet.

Posted in Ben Nevis Information

Best Maps For Ben Nevis

For anyone contemplating climbing Ben Nevis, then the right map and a compass is a must as well as the skills to use them. We do recommend using modern technology alongside the traditional maps, with GPS and smartphones being a sensible addition to any hill walker’s kit list. However, they should never be your only form of route finding.

Ordnance Survey Landranger Maps For Ben Nevis

The Landranger maps are the pink maps, and we don’t particularly recommend them due to the lack of detail. They cover a wide area, and are useful for planning but of limited use for navigation on the ground.

Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps For Ben Nevis

This is better! The 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey Explorer maps are the standard for mountain navigation and we’d recommend you get a copy of the Ordnance Survey Explorer 392 Ben Nevis Map – which along with the Mamores and Grey Corries – makes this a map you’ll want to keep on using!

Harvey’s BMC Mountain Map For Ben Nevis

While the OS Explorer is the standard, we have a soft spot for the beautiful Harvey’s Mountain Maps. They show a wider area than the Explorer series while still providing a good level of detail unlike the Landranger maps.

National 3 Peak Maps for Ben Nevis

We recommend the Ordnance Survey  National 3 Peak Map as it shows all three mountains completely, unlike some series of maps that only demonstrate parts of the mountains (such as only showing the Llanberis and Ranger Paths on Llanberis).

Finding Your Way on Ben Nevis

The right navigational skills are a must – with the link below to a free online course on navigational skills. One other thing to remember with Ben Nevis is getting off the summit – with this post – detailing the route.

Ben Nevis GPS map

A GPS Device is a welcome addition to the walker’s rucksack with some of the newer ones actually displaying an OS map on their screens. However, this is as a secondary navigation option to your map and compass. We often use GPS on the hill as it’s simply quicker to locate ourselves, but we also know how to use our map and compass when we need to. Though it is a danger to rely on them, become complacent and less skilled in the use of the map and compass simply due to lack of practice.

For a quick location fix, then your smartphone can these days do everything a GPS device can do – though will often be much more delicate. We’ve ruggedised our high end smartphone with an Otterbox case and we also take a power bank to keep it powered up, but that’s mainly as we depend on it to take photos and as a phone rather than any need to keep it powered as a GPS device.

We use the OS Maps on the phone as you get a free digital download with all new Explorer maps (if only they’d back dated it!) The app itself isn’t that special, but it’s simply excellent value. Their online map subscription is also a good deal for keen walkers at around £23 a year to access every OS Map a walker will need.

Unfortunately, you cannot upload a GPX File to the app without paying for one of these subscriptions.

One click and you can locate yourself on the map. Click the following links for a review of the Online OS Maps and the OS Map App on Mud and Routes.

All our Ben Nevis routes have a FREE GPX GPS download that you can use with your chosen GPS or phone. but it’s no substitue for a paper map and you should always have a paper map as part of your kit.

 

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

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Welcome to Walk up Ben Nevis

Walk up Ben Nevis is an on-line guidebook for anyone wanting to walk or climb up Ben Nevis – the highest mountain in Great Britain (and obviously, Scotland). Ben Nevis is one of the best walks in the Highlands of Scotland, though it does suffer from being rather popular. We have all the walking routes up Ben Nevis, and will outline all the routes to the summit and is designed to be used by anyone who fancies climbing up “The Ben” or if you’re setting out on the Three Peaks Challenge along with Snowdon or Scafell Pike. The Ben Nevis Interactive Map Page has an interactive map that shows all the walking routes as well as any facilities near by. There’s a page for each walk that shows the route and has a downloadable gpx file. You can add your Accommodation for Ben Nevis, or any relevant local business via our Business Listing Page – currently FOR FREE!

Main Walking Routes up Ben Nevis

Route Name Starting Point Parking Post Code Distance Ascent Walking Time
Ben Nevis via The Mountain Track Glen Nevis Visitor Centre PH33 6ST 17km 1370m 8 hours
Ben Nevis via CMD Arete Glen Nevis Glen Nevis Visitor Centre PH33 6ST 19.8km 1800m 8 hours+
Ben Nevis via CMD Arete – North Face Car Park North Face Car Park PH33 6SW for the turning at Torlundy! 18km 1500m 8 hours+
Ben Nevis Via Carn Dearg South Lower Steall Falls Car Park PH33 6SY – though this only gets you up the glen! 4.4km* 1200m 4hrs**
Ledge Route North Face Car Park PH33 6SW for the turning at Torlundy! 8km* 1300m 5-6 hours**
Ben Nevis via CMD East Ridge Upper Steall Falls Car Park PH33 6SY – though this only gets you up the glen! 9.5km* 1430m 4 hours**

*Distance is for one way only

**Time is for one way only, and variable. Very fit walkers can walk up and down Ben Nevis in 4 hours and will know their own timings and speed. If in doubt, assume the longest duration for your ascent and add the longest for your descent, depending on route. Add a good half hour or more for the summit stop as well.

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