Carn Mor Dearg CMD Arete up Ben Nevis from Glen Nevis

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Carn Mor Dearg CMD Arete up Ben Nevis from Glen Nevis

By Dave Roberts   

on January 3, 2021   No ratings yet.

Posted in Hard Walk, Walks in Scotland

Carn Mor Dearg CMD Arete up Ben Nevis from Glen Nevis

Further Details

Route Summary:

An alternative start and finish to the CMD Arete, rather than the usual CMD from the North Face Car Park approach.

Start and Finish: Glen Nevis Visitor Centre

Distance: 19.6 km

Ascent: 1739 m

Time: Allow 8 hours

Timings are approximate and depend on the individual. Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Facilities:

Parking, cafe, toilets.

Hazards:

Prolonged scrambling at Grade 1

Public Transport:

Parking: 

Glen Nevis Visitor Centre

Post Code for Sat Nav: PH33 6ST

Ben Nevis Guidebooks: 

Ben Nevis Maps: 

Carn Mor Dearg CMD Arete up Ben Nevis from Glen Nevis Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

Download file for GPS

Carn Mor Dearg CMD Arete up Ben Nevis from Glen Nevis

The Scramble over the Carn Mor Dearg Arete is one of the classic mountain walks. It’s not a route for hill walking novices, you’ll need serious hill walking experience in order to complete this safely. We’ve published the full CMD Arete Scramble from the North Face Car park – which has the details for the route that needs following, with this route coming with minor variations.

Carn Mor Dearg CMD Arete from Glen Nevis Route Description

1 You’ll need to start off by following the Mountain Track up Ben Nevis from one of the various starting points, probably the visitor centre. This starts off steadily, before a final pull up towards Lochan Meall an t-Suidh where you’ll need to leave the Mountain Track.

2 The next section of the route is either a direct approach across the glen, with a river crossing over Allt ‘a Mhuilinn, or a longer route via the CIC hut. We’d opt for the direct approach if possible as you’ll need to be getting onto the CMD as soon as possible – it’s a long enough day as it is!

3 You’ll have the long, long slog up towards the ridge, with a faint path taking you up towards the summit of Carn Dearg Meadhonach and the CMD. You’ll need to follow this route – Carn Mor Dearg Arete from the North Face Car Park – for the full description. You’ll need to follow that route over the CMD arete, a wonderfully airy traverse that’s unrivalled in scale and grandeur by any other route in the UK.  While a prolonged grade 1 scramble, it is not technical and not too exposed as it’s a rather wide ridge compared to something like Crib Goch.

The only difference from the North Face route is that you’ll need to follow the Ben Nevis Mountain Track back to the start once you reach Lochan Meall an t-Suidh.

Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
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Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
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Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
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Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
Ben Nevis CMD Arete from the North Face Car Park
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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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Recommended Ben Nevis Maps: 

Gear you may need

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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