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:

•    Summiting Scotland's and the UK's highest mountain.                                      

•    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 to a height of 1,344m in a single day.

What route do we use

You will be ascending and descending via the Pony Track that starts and finishes in Glen Nevis.

You will be accompanied by our fully qualified mountain leaders at all times.

These leaders will navigate the route so you can conserve all of your energy for completing the challenge.

Whilst the footpath is very easy to follow lower down the mountain it is important to realise that the summit plateaux is a notoriously tricky area to navigate, and the path becomes far less obvious, especially in bad weather. It is therefore very important that you remain with your leaders throughout.

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 waterproof jacket and trousers, as well as technical/wicking t-shirts rather than cotton shirts. We would like to emphasise that jeans should not be worn on this challenge. As you will be trekking to the highest point in the UK we would recommend hats and gloves as the weather is frequently cold on the summit and it is not uncommon for their to be patches of snow lying throughout the year.

A full kit list for this challenge can be found on the website here.
Once you book you will have access to kit discounts with our partners Outdoor Hire 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 challenge, the more you will get out of it. Also see your Charity Challenge Fitness Training notes.

Challenge timings

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

You should aim to ensure that you arrive at the accommodation in Fort William by 8pm on the day of departure.

On the day of the trek the aim will to start the trek by 9am. Depending upon group speed and weather the trek will take between 6 and 8 hours to complete.

On the final day you will need to check-out from the accommodation by 10am.

N.B. Although these are the planned timings they may be subject to change.

Accommodation

Two nights' hostel style accommodation is included in the challenge cost. Accommodation is in same-sex dormitory style accommodation with shared bathroom facilities.

We will confirm the accommodation one month prior to the challenge. Our normal accommodation provider is the SYHA Glen Nevis.

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 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 very different to that down at the bottom. Therefore, please always ensure that you carry all of the kit listed as essential on your kit list.

Getting to and from the challenge

The accommodation for this challenge is likely to be in the SYHA Glen Nevis (this will be confirmed one month prior to the challenge). This hostel is located 5 minutes from Fort William and can be reached by public bus or taxi.
Parking at the hostel is limited.
Fort William is well served by trains from Glasgow.
Inverness is the closest airport. It is 1.5 hours from Inverness to Fort William.
Please note: We will send you precise instructions about how to get to the accommodation, and the timings of the event, one month prior to the challenge. We reserve the right to use alternative accommodation when necessary.

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 and set a sensible pace for all to achieve this challenge within the planned time frame.

Why book with Charity Challenge

• Multi-award winning company
• The very best mountain leaders to support you throughout.
• Two nights’ accommodation in the heart of the Scottish Highlands.
• The very highest quality Ben Nevis Challenge on the market!

Responsible Tourism

Charity Challenge believes that all of its challenges, whether in the UK or overseas, should have a positive impact on the communities we visit. 

In the UK we would encourage all participants to consider booking an additional night’s accommodation in the area they are visiting so that they can fully enjoy their challenge experience. Many of our challenges are set in beautiful areas of the UK so why not turn your challenge into a weekend away and go out for a celebration meal in a local pub or restaurant.

For more details about our responsible tourism policy then please click here.

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.

Leadership

We employ experienced and fully qualified mountain leaders to accompany and lead you. The mountain leaders are first aid qualified and have extensive experience in leading our challenges 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.

Group size

You will be joining a group of between 20 and 30 likeminded challenge participants.

Toilets

There will be no toilets when out on the hill. All toilet opportunities during the trek will be in the great outdoors! There are toilets at the overnight accommodation.

Insurance

We don’t offer insurance for our UK trips, as any medical emergencies would naturally be covered through the NHS. Therefore, the main thing that you will not be covered for is cancellation. You can see our cancellation policy within our terms and conditions here. If you wish, you could look into your own policy that covers cancellation for travel within the UK.

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.

How is the group managed

All Charity Challenge events are led by fully qualified mountain leaders and operated as a team challenge. We encourage all participants to work together to complete the challenge. We believe that your experience is always enhanced by taking time to talk to your fellow challenger’s and learn about their inspiring stories. Our challenges are not designed as a race.

Food and drink

The following meals are included in the cost of this challenge:

• Breakfast at the accommodation on days 2 and 3
• A packed lunch to take with you on the trek on day 2.

We would advise that everyone also bring some of their own snacks to keep them going during the day.

Please note: Dinner on Friday and Saturday night is not included.