Never let anyone tell you climbing Ben Nevis is boring. Because if they do then they've clearly never seen the Ledge Route, which twists, rises and ripples its way up the mountain's mighty north face.
Often described as the toughest route for non-climbers to reach the highest point in Britain, the Ledge Route is a Grade 2 scramble that requires good skill on rock, solid route-finding experience, and a good set of nerves if you're feeling brave enough to take it on.
In short, the Ledge Route is a seriously great mountain route. It starts with a dramatic walk along the base of the North Face to the CIC Hut (above), the launchpad for almost every major climbing route on Ben Nevis. You then scrap your way up a narrow gully (below) before inching along a horribly-angled rock ledge – and that's just to get yourself to the start of the real scrambling.
From there it's a mixture of trenches, ramps, rakes, ridges and some wild exposure before you top out on the northern edge of The Ben's summit plateau at Carn Dearg, leaving you with a short stroll to the mountain's 1345m summit.
If you like the sound of all that, read on for our step-by-step guide to one of the best mountain routes you'll find anywhere in Britain, with LFTO and Trail magazine editor Oli Reed as your guide.
How hard is the Ben Nevis Ledge Route?
It's pretty hard. The Ledge Route is classed as a Grade 2 scramble, which sits right in the middle ground between hillwalking and rock climbing. We've climbed this route many times and although experienced scramblers shouldn't come up against anything they can't handle in terms of technicality, the route-finding can be confusing and the surroundings are extremely intimidating.
The North Face of Ben Nevis is an absolute monster of a thing – a vast, mile-long wall of vertical cliffs reaching over 600 metres in height for much of its length. The drops are big and the scale of the place is enough to unsettle even the most confident hillwalkers.
Taking an experienced friend along on a route like this should be a bare minimum, and if you still don't feel sure then we'd recommend hiring a local guide.
FITNESS: A good level of fitness is required. The route starts with a long walk to the base of the North Face, followed by a steep and long ascent.
TERRAIN: Marked paths and tracks to start with, then a long period of scrambling in uneven rocky gullies and slabby rock followed by exposed grassy ledges, loose rocks and scree.
NAVIGATION: The paths are well-marked at the start, but good navigation and route-finding skills are required pretty much from the second you leave the CIC Hut.
How long does the Ledge Route take?
DISTANCE: 19.5km | TIME: 7-8 hours | TOTAL ASCENT: 1445m
It's best not to think about this route in terms of hours, but just as a big mountain day that will take as long as it takes. Set off early and give yourself at least 7 or 8 hours to get it done. Ideally, even longer, so you can soak up the far-reaching views as you go. Ben Nevis is an incredible place to be if the conditions are kind to you.
Where does the Ledge Route start from?
The route starts from the forestry car park on the A82, also known as the North Face car park. A parking charge was recently introduced here after many years of being free. If you don't have your own car, a taxi from Fort William shouldn't be too expensive.
From the car park, you're faced with around 5.5km and over 6oom of ascent on foot before you reach the CIC Hut, where the Ledge Route really kicks off.
What's the best map for Ben Nevis?
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CLICK HERE to view and download our digital Ledge Route guide in OS Maps
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OS Explorer 392 (1:25k scale)
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OS Landranger 41 (1:50k)
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Harvey Superwalker XT2 Ben Nevis, Mamores & Grey Corries (1:25k)
Ben Nevis Ledge Route | Step-by-step route guide
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From the North Face car park, go south on the forest road and cross the burn, then almost immediately follow a waymarked path up through the woods to the south of the golf course. This excellent path zigzags up through the woods to the Alcan road at the top edge of the trees.
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Continue on the upgraded Allt a’Mhuilinn path. This used to be a boggy trudge but is now a super-speed highway up to the north face routes of The Ben. The path meanders gently alongside the burn with the huge bulk of Carn Dearg dominating the approach to the CIC hut. About a kilometre short of the hut, the path upgrade ceases and you continue on a rougher old track to the hut. There are fine views up towards the routes on Carn Dearg.
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Just north of the hut, cross the burn and scramble due west up some gently inclined slabs. These lead up to a huge overhanging cliff fringed by an apron of scree. The route now follows a line around the base of these cliffs and into the bottom of No. 5 Gully. There is a variation that traverses further south and around Moonlight Gully Buttress but this is the direct route.
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Once in the gully, you may come across snow unless you visit in high summer. It is possible to scramble along rocks above the base of the gully but this is awkward and difficult. So it's normally better to carry an ice axe and ascend the gully unless there is a high risk of avalanche.
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Climb up the gully until you reach an obvious ramp on the right leading up to a slanting shelf below a fringe of overhanging cliffs. Depending on whether there is snow present, this may be an axe-and-crampons job or a scramble on some quite slippery slabs.
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Follow the slanting shelf to leave the gully and traverse below the band of crags. Then ascend a rocky trench to your left, eventually making for the shattered crest of a rocky ridge where some huge, perched boulders can be seen on the skyline.
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The route now changes in character with scrambling along a narrow rocky crest of boulders. Ascend west along the ridgeline, clambering over various blocks and along some sections of arête. Here there are stunning views across Coire na Ciste to the summit of Ben Nevis.
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You reach a tricky narrowing on the ridge as you ascend to a point above the cliffs you previously traversed below. This involves a short, exposed downclimb with many crampon scratches and some quite polished rock. There’s an alternative to this ‘bad step’ on the north side a few metres back down the ridge. It’s less exposed and with better holds. This is a better option for the less confident scrambler.
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Once above the cliffs the ridge broadens and easy scrambling leads onto the plateau of Carn Dearg. Either side of the ridge are fine corries, often fringed by huge cornices. Take care not to stray to the edge. The summit of Carn Dearg is marked by cairns, with the main summit located at the top of No. 5 Gully.
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Having reached the plateau you can bag The Ben proper. Go along the rim of the corrie then head south to join the Mountain Track before making the final ascent to the summit cairn. There are good views across to the Carn Dearg cliffs and Ledge Route from here.
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To return to the car park you can take the Mountain Track to the ‘halfway lochan’ then make the rough traverse across the moors towards the Allt a’Mhuilinn. This involves a rough crossing of boggy slopes, although there are some tracks to follow.
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Make for the forest, but the only safe crossing point is via a bridge on the vehicle track coming up from the Alcan works, just to the north of the water intake station on the Allt a’Mhuilinn. Once back on the track, follow the signs back to the North Face car park.
What gear do I need for this route?
Ben Nevis is a heck of a big mountain and this is a rough and rocky route, so we'd recommend investing in very good and robust kit. Walking boots are an obvious essential, as is a good hiking daypack, a reliable waterproof jacket (essential in Scotland!), an insulating layer, and a pair of quick-drying walking trousers with some packable waterproof overtrousers in your bag.
It's always worth chucking a good pair of gloves in your pack when you're spending so long grappling with rock, and you may want the security of a helmet for some of the more tricky sections.
Depending on the season you walk this route you may need some extra essentials, so check out our hiking gear section for our latest reviews and recommendations.
Where can I eat and drink?
The Ben Nevis Inn is right near the footpath at the end, and the Grog and Gruel in Fort William is well worth a visit.
Where's the best place to stay?
You can stay at the Ben Nevis Inn, and there is also a good campsite and an excellent youth hostel (above) all in Glen Nevis. All great places. There is even more choice in Fort William – check Booking.com for good local deals.
About the author
Oli Reed (above) is the editor of Trail magazine and has climbed Ben Nevis via all of its main routes in all seasons, including a winter ascent of Tower Ridge. He's an experienced hillwalker and scrambler and classes the Ben Nevis Ledge Route as one his best-ever days in the British mountains.