h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was drinking at the weekend, a lot . A drunk friend told me he was planning to climb Ben Nevis "you're mad!" I cried, to which he replied "more alcohol!" and ness soon followed.

I'm thinking of joining him. ( - strange thoughts obviously due to tiredness.. or something)

I've read A337321 and lots of other bits and pieces of information on the web. However, I'm finding it very difficult to find out a reliable time guide for the climb - how long up, and how long down? The times have varied (for both ways) from 4 hours to 14 What is a realistic time for an average walker?

Have you done it? Would you recommend it or come and smite me over the head for having giving such stupid notions room in the first place?

as always

I've done it.

Make sure you are fit. I had trouble walking the next day. it's a long hard slog. I started going up at around middayish and finally came back down around 5 or 6pm as I recall. I was going slow too, I was about 28 at the time and there were 70 year olds walzing past me after a while.

Go for it though, it's worth the effort.

I have done it and the Entry We took 7 hours (there and back again) but we were not pushing it and had several party members who you wouldn't think would be climbing a mountain This was the direct route - up the path. Hope this helps, until later.....
BCNU - Crescent

If you're going about it in a leisurely fashion, I think an 8-hour day should be about right.

How experienced a climber/hillwalker are you?

B

Oh and try to ignore the mad ones who like to run up it.

They are clearly insane but there will lots of them going past you.

I've never understood that. It's hard enough bloody work walking up the thing.

Mind you, I did do it on the back of having climbed Snowdonia and Scafell Pike in the preceding two days.

B

Snowdon, not Snowdonia.

B

It will be leisurely.

I don't think I could class myself as 'experienced' at all. I did an 18 mile walk recently, which I found quite easy, and had work that evening too!

Mount Sinai last year - I took a camel, though still had to climb 700 steps to the top, I don't know how much height the steps equate to.

I find myself getting a bit wheezy sometimes, but I think that's due more to smoking than any asthma

Obviously this is something I'll have to train for. I live in one of the flattest places in the UK

What's the best way to train for this (other than the obvious - climbing lots of hills)?

When I climbed the Ben (a few years ago now) there was an Australian lad climbing at the same time.

When we were almost at the top, we found some snow, and he explained that this was only the second time in his life that he had actually seen snow.

This was in June.


Geggs

Er - that really is the best way.

You want plenty of muscle in your quads (although, I think you've gopt a fair bit already ) - leg presses and an angled treadmill are your best bet. Make sure you've got some good knee support for the descent as well, as long downhills are a killer on the joints.

B

I can't remember which ones are me quads

And what you are mistaking for muscle, is just fat

Thigh muscles, dear.

Fairly obvious if you're going walking up hills.

B

I thought it was thighs, but couldn't remember if it was front or back / inner or outer

What's the best time of year? (Sunny, obviously, but when?)

Are there toilet facilities anywhere? (Even Mt. Sinai had a bamboo shack! )

Any exercises I can do at home to strengthen the appropriate muscles?

- Given that there's snow on the peak in June, it's always going to be chilly, but July/August should be fairly stable.

- Few rocks and bushes. You're not a real hillwalker unless you commune with nature.

- See post 10

B

Summer is the best time - long, long days (but start early ).

No toilet facilities on the mountain (and not that many places out of the way either) but I imagine the campsites have facilities.

Exercise - do a lot of walking, as much as possible - at least a couple of miles two or three times a week and you should be fine. Climbing the Ben is not a race (it can be but not when you are doing it) so you can stop to catch your breath Hope this helps, until later....
BCNU - Crescent

MAster B, when I was descending the Ben there were three guys I passed doing the three peak challenge (that's Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24 hours) - they were going *up* the mountain and i passed them somewhere near the bottom as it was getting towards dusk.
They must have done most of their ascent and descent in utter darkness.

Don't do that - almost suicidal I'd imagine unless you are very experienced.

We thought 24 hours was just plain silly - you'd spend most of your day on the M6 in any case. 72 hours is quite a relaxed journey.

B

I wish I could go with you, but I will have to be content with the Snezka(1602 m) in the Czech Republic in August.

Another advice, buy a pair of good adjustable walking sticks. Using them will take about 20% of the load of your knees.

Re. exercises and post 10 - I don't possess a leg press or a tread mill... by exercises I can do at home, I meant without expensive equipment. (i.e. baked bean cans for weights etc. )

I've started walking to work, it's about 3.5 miles, mostly flat though.

Would never consider it in anything other than bright glorious daylight, I do try to be sensible (don't always succeed though )