Ben Nevis - A Challenge

After Snowdon the next big challenge in the UK has to Ben Nevis. I’d just like to put one marker down before anyone tries this feat.

As Ben Nevis is very close to Fort William my view is that if anyone is to claim the first ride on this peak it must include a start and end point on the banks of Loch Linhe to qualify for the full height of the mountain. That means you’ve started and ended virtually at sea level.

OK, for those with a more liquid diet the front door of the Ben Nevis bar could also be seen as an acceptable finishing point.

Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

“Noel.Holland” <Noel.Holland.2hioy@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote in
message news:Noel.Holland.2hioy@timelimit.unicyclist.com
>
> After Snowdon the next big challenge in the UK has to Ben Nevis. I’d
> just like to put one marker down before anyone tries this feat.
>
> As Ben Nevis is very close to Fort William my view is that if anyone is
> to claim the first ride on this peak it must include a start and end
> point on the banks of Loch Linhe to qualify for the full height of the
> mountain. That means you’ve started and ended virtually at sea level.
>
> OK, for those with a more liquid diet the front door of the Ben Nevis
> bar could also be seen as an acceptable finishing point.

Is Ben Nevis rideable?

I reckon Hellvellyn is probably the next on my list due to it’s being closer
to me and being supposed to be a rather nice ride. Although I’ve been warned
not to do it in the summer because there are too many walkers about.

Also the peaks are supposed to be worth a visit, might have a try there in
the summer.

Joe

Don’t know if it’s rideable on a muni. I’ve got some maps, route plans and photos and there have been a few mountain bikers who’ve riden off the summit. Just like Snowdon, the summit and the main route off the top are right next to a cliff edge but unlike snowdon the routes are not very well marked and you can easily get lost if the weather closes in. The worst trap is to take a wrong turning and end up trying to go down five finger gully. The MRT have to pull lost tourists out of there every summer. Not a mountain to be taken lightly.

Just made the challenge because it won’t be long before somebody does try it (lets face it, all the UK riders will have thought about it at sometime). And there’s no point setting a rule after it’s been done. That’s like telling someone the rules of a hand of poker after eveyones placed their bet.

Hellvellyn should be good, well rounded at the top with good routes all around. Take a look at Striding Edge when your there. I’m not suggesting you ride it, 'cause it’s hard enough to stay on two feet in some places but it’s just off the east side of Hellvellyn.

Ever thought about a trip down the Pike? I’ve had a few looks at the North Western route down Brown Tongue Ridge to Wasdale. Apart from the total abscence of any legal bridleways and throngs of beligerent hill walkers it doesn’t look too bad.

Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

“Joe Marshall” <news@joemarshall.org.uk> wrote in message
news:1017757031.344470@ananke.eclipse.net.uk
<SNIP>
> Is Ben Nevis rideable?
<SNIP>
Well several cars have been up it.

1906 - Ascent of Ben Nevis by Sir Henry Alexander
in a Model “T” Ford!
Though other sites say 1911.
and in 1928 a Model A Ford.

Here is a description of the path
http://www.travelcentre.com.au/Puddingshop/where_it_snows_in_july.htm

(Short link:-
http://makeashorterlink.com/?V1B025F9 )

Slatts

Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

I have done Hellvellyn… well tried. It was real hard and only made the
smooth bits, on striding and sharp edges it was impossible to do much at
all. Nice ride though.
I will join you on any of these excursions. How about doing the Snowdon
trip as a night one, from what I understand the ban is day time only.

Roger


The UK’s Unicycle Source


----- Original Message -----
From: “Joe Marshall” <news@joemarshall.org.uk>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.unicycling
To: <rsu@unicycling.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2002 3:17 PM
Subject: Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

> “Noel.Holland” <Noel.Holland.2hioy@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote in
> message news:Noel.Holland.2hioy@timelimit.unicyclist.com
> >
> > After Snowdon the next big challenge in the UK has to Ben Nevis. I’d
> > just like to put one marker down before anyone tries this feat.
> >
> > As Ben Nevis is very close to Fort William my view is that if anyone is
> > to claim the first ride on this peak it must include a start and end
> > point on the banks of Loch Linhe to qualify for the full height of the
> > mountain. That means you’ve started and ended virtually at sea level.
> >
> > OK, for those with a more liquid diet the front door of the Ben Nevis
> > bar could also be seen as an acceptable finishing point.
>
> Is Ben Nevis rideable?
>
> I reckon Hellvellyn is probably the next on my list due to it’s being
closer
> to me and being supposed to be a rather nice ride. Although I’ve been
warned
> not to do it in the summer because there are too many walkers about.
>
> Also the peaks are supposed to be worth a visit, might have a try there in
> the summer.
>
> Joe
>
>
>


> rec.sport.unicycling mailing list -
www.unicycling.org/mailman/listinfo/rsu
>
>

Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

“Slat#s” <Phil@NOT.Slatts.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:a8d8re$r0e$2@news6.svr.pol.co.uk
>
> “Joe Marshall” <news@joemarshall.org.uk> wrote in message
> news:1017757031.344470@ananke.eclipse.net.uk
> <SNIP>
> > Is Ben Nevis rideable?
> <SNIP>
> Well several cars have been up it.
>
> 1906 - Ascent of Ben Nevis by Sir Henry Alexander
> in a Model “T” Ford!
> Though other sites say 1911.
> and in 1928 a Model A Ford.
>
> Here is a description of the path
> http://www.travelcentre.com.au/Puddingshop/where_it_snows_in_july.htm

This sounds doable. Bikes / yikes should be allowed because in Scotland they
are legally equivalent to pedestrians as far as access goes.

Joe

Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

Noel.Holland <Noel.Holland.2hn3a@timelimit.unicyclist.com> wrote:

> Don’t know if it’s rideable on a muni. I’ve got some maps, route plans
> and photos and there have been a few mountain bikers who’ve riden off
> the summit. Just like Snowdon, the summit and the main route off the top
> are right next to a cliff edge but unlike snowdon the routes are not
> very well marked and you can easily get lost if the weather closes in.
> The worst trap is to take a wrong turning and end up trying to go down
> five finger gully. The MRT have to pull lost tourists out of there every
> summer. Not a mountain to be taken lightly.

Seeing as an old Morris car has been driven to the top of the Ben,
it shouldn’t be too bad on the tourist path. IIRC you’ll have
a number of dismounts to get around some rocky steps but there
is some potentially good riding. The main path can get very busy
though (especially Summer weekends) so avoiding ramblers may be
the biggest problem. Don’t try to go via the Carn Mor Dearg Arete
(narrow, rocky - big fall potential) or Tower Ridge (Hard summer
scramble that needs a rope!).

> Ever thought about a trip down the Pike? I’ve had a few looks at the
> North Western route down Brown Tongue Ridge to Wasdale. Apart from the
> total abscence of any legal bridleways and throngs of beligerent hill
> walkers it doesn’t look too bad.

There is some classic riding in the Lakes. The descent from Black Sail
Pass into Wasdale is excellent (and hard) and the Walna Scar Road is
even better (more consistently rideable). Grisdale Forest is great
for wet days. The MTB crowd rave about Skiddaw - looks worth a go to
me.


Paul Selwood
paul@vimes.u-net.com http://www.vimes.u-net.com

RE: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

> Well several cars have been up it.
>
> 1906 - Ascent of Ben Nevis by Sir Henry Alexander
> in a Model “T” Ford!
> Though other sites say 1911.

1911 is more believeable, since the Model Ts came out in 1909!

JF

Do you have to ride UP the whole of Ben Nevis to ‘Qualify’? I know it doesn’t really matter, but just wondering wot people think? When i rode helvellyn, i just walked straight up the side opposite Dollywagon Pike, which is not rideable upwards, then rode down the same way. Wasn’t going for any kind of records, just seeing wot i could do.

I’d be up for any of these.

How about doing the three peaks challenge on a uni?

Anyone?

Nah, I wouldn’t even consider trying toi ride up myself. Of course theres a certain nutter who lives in Balham who might might give the idea of riding up a serious bash.

My view is that you only have to start at the waters edge, get to the peak and return to the waters edge whilst trying to ride as much as your able to qualify for a first attempt. No-one here would seriously suggest you must ride the whole way up and down. You’ have to be built like the proverbial to even consider it. Safety first - riding second. Ride as much as you can but do the distance without having to call out the Mountain Rescue and that would be more than enough of a feat to qualify in everyones eyes.

That… is a seriously good idea…

I was looking at pictures of Snowdon the other day, thinking “Hmmmm…”. And then remembering walking on Dartmoor… also a potential uni-target…

Phil, just me

I’ve ridden on parts of Dartmoor. The soft going is sensitive to damage. The hard parts can pretty unpleasant to ride on… when 50% of the rocks are embedded solidly, and 50% will roll away as soon as look at you… and there’s no way to tell which is which until it happens. I had some fun, and entertained the troops a bit too, though.

I’ve wondered about doing Snowdon. Riding all the way up would be beyond me. Riding all the way down would probably be possible on the LLanberis Path. I’d give Crib Goch a miss though :astonished:

One of my best friends is a Probability and Statistics lecturer. Nobody tell him I used the expression ‘would probably be possible’.:o

Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

yes

Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

3 peaks.
Just thought, we need someone - or several people with a “Fast” car and who
can drive it fast! Estate car with matress in back would be good to allow
sleep between the climbs, from what I understand of it, it is needed.
For those who do not know, the idea is to climb the 3 tallest mountains in
Scotland, England and Wales in less than 24 hours. Although Britain is
small, just in driving terms this is hard! Quite a few small roads to take.

http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/richieev/tp/24.htm

Ben Nevis is definately the easiest, both Scarfell and Snowdon are hard but
for different reasons.

Roger

Re: Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

Yoinks! I was thinking of the “other” three peaks; Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent. They don’t need a car to get from one to the next.

Sometimes you wish they’d used a bit more imagination when naming these walks… :slight_smile:

Phil, just me

Sorry Phil - I was thinking of THE three peaks. :slight_smile:

Roger - If I can arrange the car - (a volvo 850 estate ok?) - do you fancy taking up the challenge with me?

Anyone else?

Alternatively we could do the sailing version - where you sail as close as you can then cycle.

I’m up for the three peaks challenge. Definately. I’ve thought about it but wasn’t sure wether others would be interested

HHHHMMMMMM. I still don’t know what i think of the idea of me being able to say i’ve ‘ridden’ a mountain when i’ve walked 1/2 of it, ya know? It’s probably just me being perfectionist or something. It’s definately something to strive for to complete a full ride of previously unrideable stuff uphill, eg some of the harder paths on Snowdon etc.

Interesting that you say Ben Nevis is easier than the rest Roger, thanx for that info, i’ve been trying to find out things like that for a bit, but haven’t been able to get opinions. I’m assuming then that there is a longer and less steep route up it somewhere?

OK then how about we do this next april/may?
I figure it’ll not be too hot then and hopefully not too wet (fat chance).

Either that or January- I figure the weather’d be so cold it’d all be snow and ice which’d make things interesting.

Looking at the sort of terrain there is I’d suggest a 24/26 with 175 cranks for up the hills and with 150’s or shorter for coming back down.

Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

Yes I am definitely up for it.

As for walking, I didn’t mention that. If I am not riding (and I will do as
much as I can of that) I will be running on the way up.

The reason the Ben Nevis is easier than the other 2 is that the route is
more consistent gradient and it is considerably shorter.

Roger


The UK’s Unicycle Source


----- Original Message -----
From: “Ando” <Ando.f24wm@timelimit.unicyclist.com>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.unicycling
To: <rsu@unicycling.org>
Sent: Monday, December 02, 2002 11:25 PM
Subject: Re: Ben Nevis - A Challenge

>
> I’m up for the three peaks challenge. Definately. I’ve thought about it
> but wasn’t sure wether others would be interested
>
> HHHHMMMMMM. I still don’t know what i think of the idea of me being able
> to say i’ve ‘ridden’ a mountain when i’ve walked 1/2 of it, ya know?
> It’s probably just me being perfectionist or something. It’s definately
> something to strive for to complete a full ride of previously unrideable
> stuff uphill, eg some of the harder paths on Snowdon etc.
>
> Interesting that you say Ben Nevis is easier than the rest Roger, thanx
> for that info, i’ve been trying to find out things like that for a bit,
> but haven’t been able to get opinions. I’m assuming then that there is a
> longer and less steep route up it somewhere?
>
>
> –
> Ando
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ando’s Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/567
> View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/17238
>
>


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