Summit Ben Nevis and Learn Winter Mountain Skills
Head to Scotland to swot up on essential mountain skills before climbing to 1345m on the UK's highest mountain
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, local, certified mountain guidesHotel
2 nights in a local hotel or guesthouseMeals
2 breakfasts at your hotel or guesthouseEquipment
All the technical equipment to make a succesful ascent, including crampon-compatible bootsSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
…
What's it like?
Learn how to survive in some of the harshest conditions the United Kingdom can throw at you
Stand on top of the UK's highest mountain... the view. The feeling of success. Did we mention the view?
Stay in central Fort William, the adventure capital of the wild Scottish Highlands
Featured by The Independent as one of 'the best walking holidays in Scotland'
Key Information
Day 1
Plan and prepare
Your Scottish winter adventure begins. Meet your guide in Fort William and grab any kit you need for the next few days on the hill. Once you’re done, it’s off to your accommodation. All that’s left to do now is settle in, meet your fellow adventurers, grab some dinner and get ready for the challenging days ahead.
Day 2
Winter skills training in Lochaber
Hiking
Over the course of today, your expert mountain guide will teach you how to survive in winter conditions and how to move safely over some of the UK’s most challenging terrain using an ice axe and crampons. Exactly where you go today will depend on the weather and snow conditions, and it’s a great chance to learn new skills in some truly awesome settings. You’ll spend about six hours refining your abilities, and then it’s back down to Fort William for a hearty dinner and the chance to prepare your kit for the big one – summiting Ben Nevis.
Day 3
Ascend Ben Nevis (1345m)
Hiking
Approach Ben Nevis early and get a tantalising first glimpse of the challenge ahead. Boot up and begin the ascent. It’s a tough climb, but you’ll take regular breaks to catch your breath and enjoy the view. The route taken will depend on weather conditions and the group's ability: there are various options, including the knife-edge CMD arête, but the final decision will be taken by your guide. After a celebratory summit photo, it’s time to head back down for a well-earned wee dram, before making your way home.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Ellis Brigham Store, Fort William
17:00 on Day 1
Ends
Fort William
17:30 on Day 3
Transfers
The tour starts at the Ellis Brigham Store in Fort William at 17:00 on Day 1. You can check into the hotel any time from 15:00 (although luggage storage is available from 12:00) and then make your way to the Ellis Brigham Store to meet your guide at 17:00. The Ellis Brigham Store, the train station, the bus stop, and the hotel are all only a few minutes walk from one another.
On Day 3, your host will drop you off at the train station, your accommodation or the car park in Fort William (depending on your preference).
Travel options
Fort William is very accessible, regardless of where you are travelling from – the area is well-serviced with excellent rail and road links. Glasgow and Inverness airports are 98 and 70 miles away respectively. International and domestic flights into Glasgow are available throughout the year, with regular flights to and from both London Heathrow and London Gatwick. From Glasgow, regular buses depart from Buchanan Bus Station and reach Fort William in just over three hours (service operated by Scottish Citylink). Alternatively, if you travel via Inverness, the bus journey takess just over two hours, and is also operated by Citylink.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
For breakfast, expect a typical Scottish buffet. For lunch, you'll be able to buy your own: there are three supermarkets and two delis locally, and plenty of time to do this on the first evening. The hotel also offers a packed lunch on request, but we recommend buying some extra snacks. For dinner, you'll be in the town where your group can find a good cosy pub. Most dietary requirements can be accomodated, including vegetarian and vegan diets.
What is the accommodation like?
Fort William
You'll be staying in a small hotel or local guesthouse in Fort William such as The Nevis Bank Inn, a modern hotel on the banks of the River Nevis in the centre of Fort William, which is renowned locally for its restaurant. As this part of the Highlands can be very busy, the exact accommodation will be confirmed closer to the time of departure. Rooms are allocated on a twin-share basis wherever possible, but on occasion you may be in a triple-share, depending on availability and the group split.
Upgrades
For solo travellers wanting their own space, it is possible to request a private room upgrade. Prices start from £45 per person per night, but can be as high as £200 for last-minute requests. The exact price will be confirmed on request.
This trip has been rated as Challenging
This trip has been rated as challenging as you will be outdoors for up to eight hours on each day in a cold, mountainous environment moving over challenging terrain. You should be comfortable on your feet on steep terrain and have experience in the hills. The weather conditions could be windy, cold and snowy which adds another challenge to the experience.
Your expert mountain guide will keep you safe and teach you how to survive in these winter conditions and how to move over some of the UK’s most challenging terrain using crampons and an ice axe.
Challenging trips generally require committing to some training and preparation in the weeks building up to your trip. You should be comfortable with walking up to eight hours per day on hilly, uneven terrain for two back to back days. Accompanying cardio, strength and flexibility training will help you be in the best shape possible to enjoy this trip.
On any winter hike in a high mountain environment, you will potentially encounter high winds, rain, snow, ice and steep slopes. Ben Nevis is no different and you should be prepared to face these conditions. The average temperatures between November and March are between -6°C and -1°C, but factor in wind chill and it can feel much colder. You should read the kit list carefully and pack everything listed.
The dates for this trip have been chosen based on when there is a high chance of there being enough snow, to ensure the skills covered are winter and snow focused. Your host has run these trips for many winter months with a reliable snow forecast. The weather in the area is, however, becoming increasingly hard to predict – on the rare occasion that there may not be enough snow to learn all the winter skills as planned, your guide will still ensure you have a full day of learning mountain skills.
Ben Nevis
The guides Mark and Kyle were brilliant and very knowledgeable. The trip was tailored to the group, as Scottish weather can play havoc with plans. The group was friendly and supportive and the trip all in all was just spot on.
Scotland Adventure
What a weekend. Lucked out with the weather, clear skies for mountain skills day though very windy later on. No views at the top on Ben Nevis but an incredible day! Great group dynamic. A shame we couldn't do CMD route but have to go with the majority - still a fantastic weekend and would recommend to anyone! Iain out guide was the best :)
Really recommend Much Better Adventures.
I have now completed my goal to climb all of GB's highest peaks. Ben Nevis was my last one and I couldnt have asked for a better organisation and team, to do it with. I had a great time on this challenging adventure. The accommodation was great. The team of guides were so helpful, kind and knowledgeable. I felt safe and well looked after. I really recommened Much Better Adventures. I made great friends, felt challenged and out of my comfort zone but was encouraged and supported the whole way. Thank you MBA
Well recommended
Great trip as per usual with MBA. Guides Aidan and Iain were fantastic, the hired equipment was of high quality and the rest of the people on the trip were all fantastic. Already looking to book the next one.
A great hike, very enjoyable in the snow and the technical skills were certainly interesting and well taught. Much tougher to come back down than going up!
What an experience
Thank you for a great weekend. Iain and Aidan were great guides. Lots of fun was had. They were informative, engaging and fun. I have never done anything like this before and I felt I was im safe hands with these two. Glen Nevis was a good warm up on Saturday. Ben Nevis! You were tough. The weather at the summit, like I have never experienced before. Challenging to say the least. A good group of people and we all got eacher to the summit.
Incredible experience
Incredible experience! I’ve done some summer/autumn hiking in the past year but really wanted to learn some winter skills before venturing out on my own. I’m not the fastest, I’m a slow and steady hiker who just plods on and the group dynamics were great. Everyone was really patient and Aiden was a really great, friendly and knowledgeable guide. Would highly recommended this adventure to everyone. We summited Nevis in 4 hr 30 with a further 4hr for descent (I think - my watch died!). Stops along the way for photos/refilling water etc. Crampons on from about midway I think! We massively lucked out on weather and had the best visibility!
Scottish mountain adventure
Our guides Aidan and Mark were exceptional during the 2 day course, the first day was focused on a base for the Ben Nevis ascent on day 2. This was a highly rewarding and fulfilling 2 days in Scotland and I am very glad I booked on.
Snowy adventure
First trip with much better adventures and will confess was fantastic. Be advised it is tough and def need a decent level of fitness. Learnt a lot over the weekend and Phil was a great guide. Weather was def challenging which made the hike even more satisfying
Great course to build your confidence & winter skills
Fantastic course to build winter mountaineering skills and to learn some of the more technical elements of how to use ice axes and crampons effectively.
Our guide John was superb and passionate in teaching us the correct techniques. We also had a great memory when one of group members (Rachel) brought some left over pizza and shared it between us all on the summit of Ben Nevis which went down a treat!
Great course would definitely recommend
I had such a great time on this course! Perfect for those looking to step up from summer hiking into the winter world.
Connor is super helpful with all the admin, with a well oiled itinerary. John was an unbelievably helpful guide. His knowledge is outstanding, and I've been able to pick up so many useful skills.
Follow the kit list though, and remember to bring multiple pairs of gloves
Great to summit. back up plan failing
Unfortunately the weather did not allow the full course to go ahead, while John was great going up Ben nevis in appalling conditions and kept everyone going. It felt like there was not a real back up plan with the weather not being suitable for the skills. This made us leave early as what was suggested wasn't what we had booked for.
A truly great weekend!
Great guides
Really fun and worthwhile trip. John was an excellent guide and teacher. Never thought I’d let myself fall backwards down a mountain! Felt very well supported in the extreme weather conditions on day one. Great starting point if you’re planning more winter climbs. Incredible scenery.
Great weekend
This was a fantastic experience with excellent guides and accommodation, even the weather was well organised :-D
4 instead of 5 stars for some admin issues and I would have expected transport to start points of each day's adventure, but we were asked to drive ourselves.
Superb experience
Guides were great. Hotel was spot on. Experience was delivered as promised. Group dynamic was superb. Great job.
Absolutely worth doing!
Great weekend in beautiful Highlands. Guides were excellent and luckily group dynamics too.
Sliding head first down a patch of snow in the pouring rain was definitely a highlight (who would have thought) of the trip, when learning to use ice axes. The views from the summit of Ben Nevis were stunning. Unfortunately, weather, instructor ratios and group limitations meant we weren't able to tackle anything particularly challenging, so we just hiked up the path to Ben Nevis. It would have been better if we could have split off into smaller groups better matched for goals and abilities. Ian, the guide, was lovely, very knowledgable about the area and did his best to cater to everyone's needs etc. I felt safe throughout and overall had a great time being outside.
Highly recommend
Good and hassle-free trip. Instructor was knowledgable and group was great.
The weekend away was a great experience to get an insight into winter mountaineering. The highlight was climbing Ben Nevis with the knowledge learned from instructors the previous day. The group dynamic was great, with a range of different backgrounds. I felt very safe with the equipment and training from the staff, who were very professional on both days.
Excellently lead experience with great accommodation and a good group. It is correctly labelled as Challenging, as there is a lot of walking - so keep this in mind before booking.
Great experience to approach the mountain in Winter for the first time. Our guides (Olli, David, Phil) were amazing: friendly, expert, inclusive. Kit provided was top notch. The group dynamics was great as it build up over the hours/days together. Highly recommended
What a fantastic weekend! Everything was super well organised, the group were fantastic and I felt very taken care of. Safety and kit provided was on point and the guides were very knowledgeable. Great fun!
The trip was great! Very well organised and the overall experience was fantastic!
Awesome trip, from start to finish! Every part of the weekend was well planned and executed. Connor and the team are passionate about providing the very best experience for every person, regardless of level of experience or confidence. They showed flexibility, compassion and were always available to us over the course of the trip, to help, instruct and support. Learning new skills, connecting with new people, reaching the summit on a beautiful, cloudless new year’s eve and spending Hogmanay with such a wonderful group was THE best way to start the year. Memories to last a lifetime.
We went for Hogmanay and had a fantastic time, over the course of the two days we naturally split into 4 groups depending on fitness (there were 17 of us), two groups made the summit and the other two were guided elsewhere on an equally fun adventure. Connor and his team were fantastic, it was so well organised and we felt supported and safe at all times. Shout out to Sam our guide, who was fabulous. I cannot fault anything. The hotel (Nevis Bank Inn) was also great. Highly recommended by us
Excellent experience, Connor and the crew were nothing short of phenomenal throughout the trip. Always prioritizing safety, group dynamics and ensuring we learn our skills. They were professional, fun and a joy to be around with, kind and amiable, helping everyone and attending the group's needs. The group dynamic was excellent, my personal highlight of the trip for sure. Celebrating Hogmanay in this trip was a highlight of my last few years for certain. The hotel restaurant staff were amazing as well, I'll certainly go back to that next time I'm in Fort William. The summit day was exquisite, no clouds on the sky, plenty of snow and frosty - a perfect hiking day for a great group! I highly recommend this!
The trip was absolutely fantastic. Everything about it was excellent. The guides were amazing but the best bit was meeting new friends. Hopefully life long friends! I am already planning my next adventure with Much Better Adventures. Everything was brilliant. I have travelled all around the world but this tops everything! 5 star experience.
A very enjoyable trip, the guides Mark and Sam were very knowledgeable and took us on some fantastic routes. We were unable to make the summit of Ben Nevis due to weather conditions however the skills I learnt and the summits we did achieve over the weekend were still well worth it.
Itinerary Activities
- Learn how to survive in winter conditions, and how to use an ice axe and crampons
- Guided hike to summit Ben Nevis
Guides
- Expert, local, and certified mountain guides
Accommodation
- 2 nights in a hotel in Fort William
Meals
- 2 typical Scottish buffet breakfasts
Equipment
- All technical equipment
- Crampon-friendly boots
Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.
Travel to and from the trip
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
Tips
Tips are not included in the trip cost; these are entirely at your discretion. If you would like to tip, the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality.
Personal Expenses
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness. Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine, as their insurance offers all of the above.
Visas
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's included?
All your technical equipment (crampons and ice axe)
You will be provided with stiff walking boots (B1, 2, or 3 grade) to fit crampons (you are welcome to bring your own, if preferred)
Your host will also carry essential equipment such as a first aid kit and group shelter
What do I need to bring?
- Rucksack (we recommend 40 litres) with liner
- "B" rated crampon compatible walking boots (optional - these can also be provided by your host)
- Thermal base layer
- Fleece top – not cotton
- Polyester, fleece or woollen trouser and tops (no jeans)
- Heavy-duty waterproof jacket and trousers
- Hat
- Thick waterproof ski gloves and warm liners, or two pairs of good gloves
- Scarf or neck gaiter/buff plus spares
- Ski goggles
- Head torch
- Walking poles
- Flask or water bottle
- Energy snacks
- Whistle
- Sunglasses and sun cream
- Emergency survival bag (6’ by 3’ orange poly bag available from any outdoor store)
If you're not sure your boots will be compatible with crampons - check out our useful guide to find out more.
Pre/post trip accommodation in Fort William (Single) From:
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post trip accommodation in Fort William (Single) From:
… Per Night
Pre/post trip accommodation in Fort William (Twin/Double) From:
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post trip accommodation in Fort William (Twin/Double) From:
… Per Night
Pre/Post Accommodation in Fort William - Hogmanay Special (Single) From:
Payable Before Departure
Pre/Post Accommodation in Fort William - Hogmanay Special (Single) From:
… Per Night
Pre/Post Accommodation in Fort William - Hogmanay Special (Twin/Double) From:
Payable Before Departure
Pre/Post Accommodation in Fort William - Hogmanay Special (Twin/Double) From:
… Per Night
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 69kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
After you've checked out of your accommodation on Day 3, you'll be able to store your luggage either at the hotel or in your guide's vehicle.
This trip visits locations where daytime temperatures can be extremely cold and consistently below freezing (0C/32F) during the times of year when this trip operates. Temperatures at night will likely be even colder. Personal care should be taken to keep warm as best possible in the conditions, such as wearing appropriate clothing and proper hydration and nutrition. Very cold temperatures can impair an individual’s physical abilities to perform an activity that they may otherwise be able to do competently at warmer temperatures. In severe cold conditions people may experience symptoms associated with Exposure, Frostbite and Hypothermia. Your guide(s) are trained to mitigate the risks associated with cold temperatures, by carefully managing the intensity of the activity, and to provide the appropriate support response should someone feel ill during the trip. Should you experience health issues during your trip you should inform your guide immediately so the proper care can be provided.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.
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DEPARTURE DATES
Sunday 29th December 2024
to Wednesday 1st January 2025
Fully Booked
