VP1. The Allt a’ Mhuilinn as you enter the coire. Canon 5D MkIII, 17-40 at 17mm, ISO 100, 1.3s at f/16, ND. Oct.
Nearby location: Ben Nevis from Corpach. Canon 5D MkIII, 24-105 at 24mm, ISO 100, 1/20s at f/16. Sept.
How to get here
can go from clear to practically zero in a very short time. A proper map and compass and the ability to use them is essential. Do not attempt a winter ascent unless you have the necessary equipment, skills and experience.
The North Face car park is signposted off the A82 just a couple miles north of Fort William. Leaving the main road at Torlundy you quickly cross a small humped bridge over the railway before turning right down a good forestry road also signposted for the car park, which is around a kilometre from the turn. North Face Parking Lat/Long: 56.841904, -5.0428264 Parking Grid Ref: NN 145 764 Parking Postcode: PH33 6SR (0.6km) Map: OS Landranger Map 41 (1:50 000) Ben Nevis Corpach Parking Lat/Long: 56.843510, -5.1233256 Parking Grid Ref: NN 096 768 Parking Postcode: PH33 7LR
Accessibility Even simply walking up to the CIC hut is a fairly big day out, with around 10km and 650m of ascent involved. The paths are good, but be aware that it is often much colder in the coire than you may expect. If tackling the CMD Arête you should have appropriate experience for what is as much a scramble as a walk in places. Once on the summit of Ben Nevis, precise navigation can be required to safely descend and it is worth reiterating the fact that the visibility
Best time of year/day The chances are that when photographing Ben Nevis you’re just going to have to take it as you find it. The summit, and the top of the towering cliffs viewed from coires below, may well be shrouded in cloud even when it is a beautiful day below in Fort William. If you are lucky enough to have it clear, the early morning sun lights the top of the crags beautifully, even if the coire floor remains in shadow. If attempting the CMD Arête then you should only do so in good weather. The wind on the ridge can be fierce, and navigation can get very difficult on the summit plateau in bad weather. The trees that line the Allt a’ Mhuillin look spectacular in the autumn. Through the winter the lower area of Viewpoint 1 can be reasonably accessible, with snow and ice bringing another level of intensity to the vertical scenery beyond.
WESTERN HIGHLANDS – BEN NEVIS AND THE CMD ARÊTE
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