Morrisons Ben Nevis Challenge

Level of Difficulty

The Ben Nevis Challenge is graded as challenging. This is the perfect challenge for participants who are of an adventurous spirit and an open mind and who wish to push themselves in one of the UK's most iconic landscapes. You can tell your supporters that on your Ben Nevis Challenge you will be:
•    Trekking for around 7-8 hours in a single day.
•    Covering 15km of mountainous terrain.
•    Trekking without support, carrying all your food and water for the entire day.
•    Ascend 1,350m in a single day.
•    Summiting the UK's highest mountain.

Clothing and Equipment

Good quality and durable equipment could make the difference between a fantastic challenge experience and an uncomfortable one. For this challenge, waterproof and well-worn in boots will be indispensable. The terrain is uneven and can be very rough, so it is vital that you use a strong pair of canvas or leather boots with good ankle support for this challenge, coupled with a pair of good quality walking socks. Trainers are not suitable. The benefits of a comfortable day sack cannot be underestimated - so make sure that you train with this. Other essentials are high quality gore-tex waterproof and windproof jackets and trousers, as well as technical/wicking t-shirts rather than cotton shirts. We would like to emphasize that jeans should not be worn on this challenge. A full kit list for this challenge can be found here. Once you book you will have access to kit discounts with our partners Outdoorhire and Cotswold Outdoor.

Training

This challenge is a great adventure that will have you trekking up and down the highest mountain in the UK over one day, therefore requiring a moderate to good level of fitness. The ideal training for this challenge is, naturally, hill walking. However, if you do not have the luxury of living near the hills, then the stairs at home (or an office block) are a great place to start. Most training should be part of an ongoing lifestyle, but if this is not the case then you should begin training 2-4 months prior to the challenge and gradually build up as suggested. Remember to use the walking boots that you will be wearing on the challenge in order to get them worn in, and take the daysack that you will be using during the challenge.

There is no substitute for walking in the hills so try if possible to get out on a weekend and train in an area with steep hills. You should progress to training with your boots on from week 4 at the latest, but preferably from week 1. The more you exercise before the expedition, the more you will get out of it.

Leadership

We employ experienced and fully qualified mountain expedition leaders to accompany and lead you. The mountain leaders are first aid qualified and have extensive experience in leading expeditions throughout Britain and overseas. They will be ultimately responsible for the running of the itinerary and the safety of your group. They will be carrying full safety equipment and mountain first aid kits with them at all times.

Weather

As you know, the weather in the UK can be highly unpredictable and at times erratic, so being prepared is the key! We run UK challenges between April and October, and although the summer months of June-August should be, in general, warmer, sunnier and more stable in terms of the weather conditions, we all know that this isn’t always the case. Please check the weather forecasts up to ensure that you bring clothing suitable for all weathers, including warm and sunny temperatures as well as wind and sudden downpours.

It is important to remember that the weather on the mountain is likely to be evry different to that down at the bottom. Therefore please alwasy ensure that you carry all of the kit listed as essential on your kit list.

Terrain

This challenge takes place on a well maintained footpath. However, the path is rocky in places and can be slippy if wet. Certain sections of the path are steeper than others but there are no sections that require you to use your hands to scramble.

Challenge Timings

Precise timings and a meeting location will be sent in your Final Details document 1 month before the challenge.

You will need to arrive at the start of the trek at 10am. Here you will meet your fellow challengers and leaders and have the challenge safety briefing.

The trek will begin shortly afterwards and head on The Pony Track to ascend the summit.
Walking times on the mountain can vary enormously, but you should expect it to take approximately 7-8 hours. You will finish back where you started.

N.B. Although this is the planned time for finishing delays can happen. We highly recommend that you try not to travel until you have given yourself time to recover and rest after the challenge. Please consider staying an extra night in the area.

Getting there

You should plan to arrive for 10am on the Saturday morning at the Glen Nevis Visitors Centre. More precise directions will be provided in your Final Details sent one month prior to the challenge.

Arrival by train:

If you are arriving by train the nearest station is in Fort William, it is then a short taxi to the start point of the trek.

Arrival by car:

As the location for parking depends on final numbers, we will confirm exact car parking arrangements with you one month before the event. This will be in your Final Details document that is uploaded to your Account Area.

After such a tough challenge we would highly advise that you look into booking an extra night accommodation on Saturday night to celebrate your achievements properly and to avoid driving home tired. Fort William is a beautiful town and has a variety of accommodation options, please see our accomodation tab for recommendations.

Accomodation

Accomodation is not provided with this challenge. After such a tough challenge we would highly advise that you look into booking an extra night accommodation on Saturday.

If you would like to stay in the local area then there are lots of options to be found, we reccomend the following hostels and hotels in Fort William:

Glen Nevis Youth Hostel

Alexandra Hotel

Imperial Hotel

Moorings Hotel

Food and Drink

Breakfast snacks such as fruit and cereal bars will be available on the morning of the challenge.

You will be provided with a packed lunch during the day of the challenge. There will also be snacks an ability to fill up your water bottles before the challenge.

Toilets

There will be toilet facilities at the start of the trek and at certain locations along the way. However, these toilets are frequently closed or unavailable so please be prepared to have to use more natural facilites.

Safety

Charity Challenge considers the safety of all of our participants and staff to be a top priority, and as such we have set up Challenge Safe, one of the most advanced and thorough safety management systems in the industry. Challenge Safe formalises our ethos when it comes to safety, and brings together the procedures and risk management strategies that we use to audit all aspects of our challenges, from vehicles to accommodation to the challenge activity itself. Your welfare is absolutely paramount!

Here are a couple of important points that you should be aware of:

•     The terrain on the challenge is often rocky and in wet conditions can be extremely slippery. Please make sure that your walking boots have good grip. Trainers are not appropriate as they lack grip.

•     The weather on the summits of the hills can be very different to down in the valleys. Please make sure you carry an additional warm layer, waterproof jacket and trousers and a hat and gloves.  

•     7-8 hours is a long time to be out on the hills. Ensure that you eat lots throughout the day and keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.

Emergencies

Your leading team are trained to deal with emergency situations in remote areas and will be carrying a mobile phone and radios in case the emergency services need to be contacted. The event is not run as a race and you will never be encouraged to walk at a pace ‘beyond your ability’. There will always be a wide variety in people’s walking abilities which will be carefully managed by the leader team. This team will always keep the group together for maximum safety.

Group size

This challenge will have a minimum group size of around 250 people.

The aim of this challenge is to support each other to reach the summit, and descend. This challenge will not be run as a race and it is unsuitable to anyone wishing to see this as an individual challenge against the clock.

During the course of the trek it is very likely that you will split into smaller groups, but at all times you will be accompanied by one of our qualified mountain leaders.