The Kilted climb

[Arlen]

First off, I want to say thank you to everyone here who was so kind, supportive and sent well wishes.
You really are a great bunch.

Second, seeing as I am pretty tired, this will be a quick picture post.
I raised 367 pounds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma fund, and I got to have a pretty great experience.

The summit of Ben Nevis is 1,344 metres (4,406 feet) above sea level.
The route I took is 1,500 metres of ascent.
It is described thus...
"A route popular with experienced hillwalkers... can also be reached from Glen Nevis by following the Pony Track as far as Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe, then descending slightly to the CIC Hut. The route then ascends Carn Mòr Dearg and continues along the Carn Mòr Dearg Arête ("CMD Arête") before climbing steeply to the summit of Ben Nevis. This route involves a total of 1,500 metres of ascent and requires modest scrambling ability and a head for heights.[15] In common with other approaches on this side of the mountain, it has the advantage of giving an extensive view of the cliffs of the north face, which are hidden from the Pony Track."

So here are the pictures.

This is me on the day I arrived.




This is what the bottom part of the Ben looked like on the day I arrived.





This is the bottom of the Ben wreathed in clouds on the first evening.





This is me shortly after we set out.






This is me rather sweaty and red and unattractive after the drizzling rain started.





This is as we were changing course from the pony track on to the more difficult and long route. You can see the fog just starting to roll in.





This is a gully going STRAIGHT DOWN with snow on it. IN JULY!





This is how the Carn Mòr Dearg Arete looks on a normal day from far away. Notice the tiny people walking on it.






This is how it looked while I was hiking on it. Got pretty damn foggy, huh?




More to come...

[Arlen]

Foggy enough to leave a nice, glittery sheen of moisture on my greatly waterproof kilt and kilt hose. (All the trousered folk were soaked through.)





This is a view over the side. (At an odd angle.)





This is a picture of some of the ruins of the old observatory on the top.





This is me just as I got on to the summit.




And this is us just coming out of the clouds on the descent.





And, finally, me having a dram to celebrate that evening.



That's all the pictures I got, but I hope everyone enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed the climb.

Be well.

[fluter]

Thanks for sharing those gorgeous pictures!

[JamesA]

Nice pictures and good job on the fundraising! Fog or no, it looks like a nice climb.

James

[Kid Cossack]

Excellent report, Arlen, great pics, and a wonderful way to honor your friend.

[Riverkilt]

Felt like I was there trudging with you! Great pics and a worthy cause cousin.

Ron

[macwilkin]

So, Arlen, are you going to be a munro-bagger now?

Todd

[pdcorlis]

Great photos Arlen and congratulations on your successful journey!

[turpin]

Congrats on the accomplishment and on raising the money for a worthy cause!

[Martin S]

Congratulations for both the fund-raising and the perseverance.
Walking in such conditions would not be my idea of a good day out!
Keep it up!
The mountains around here have been just as cloudy recently ... in July?
Martin