Ben Nevis in September

Hi,

has anyone here hiked the Ben in early-mid September and would care to describe
what I should be prepared for - in terms of weather, temperature, snow? I'll
have a few days there so I could even wait out one particular bad day or two,
but wouldn't want to waste a week.

I once tried in late April and there was still snow on top (plus a bloody storm
coming my way that forced my retreat just below the summit). Is it better in
September?

Thanks,
Ralph

--
For contact details, please see www.ralphholz.de.

"Ralph Holz" wrote in message
...
Hi,

has anyone here hiked the Ben in early-mid September and would care to
describe what I should be prepared for - in terms of weather, temperature,
snow? I'll have a few days there so I could even wait out one particular
bad day or two, but wouldn't want to waste a week.

I once tried in late April and there was still snow on top (plus a bloody
storm coming my way that forced my retreat just below the summit). Is it
better in September?

Thanks,
Ralph

Early-mid Sept is probably the best time to go up the Ben.
Not too warm then, not too cold - and the likelihood of snow on the summit
is very remote.
Probably be about 3-4 degrees C on the summit.
Rain? Who knows - it's Scotland!

Regards
Gerry

Following up to Ralph Holz

has anyone here hiked the Ben in early-mid September and would care to describe
what I should be prepared for - in terms of weather, temperature, snow? I'll
have a few days there so I could even wait out one particular bad day or two,
but wouldn't want to waste a week.

I once tried in late April and there was still snow on top (plus a bloody storm
coming my way that forced my retreat just below the summit). Is it better in
September?

possibly, but assume the weather might do anything. Ask on
uk.rec.walking for more info. Only a limited number of days are
clear on the summit, in September there probably wont be any snow
left.
Summit in May "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/bennevis.htm"
Make sure you have the OS map with the diagram of the route off
the summit.
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap
Photos of both "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

Gerald Oliver Swift wrote:

Early-mid Sept is probably the best time to go up the Ben.
Not too warm then, not too cold - and the likelihood of snow on the summit
is very remote.
Probably be about 3-4 degrees C on the summit.
Rain? Who knows - it's Scotland!

Regards
Gerry

It can snow on the summit (as on the Cairngorms) at any time of year. I
climbed it in early September a couple of years back, although it was
about 15C in Fort William it was snowing on the highest 200ft or so.
Also there's the windchill to consider- it's very rarely calm up there,
and 3C could feel more like -10C.

As it's the highest peak in the UK it attracts tourists who don't have
a clue about hillwalking, or the weather- they don't realise just how
much the temperature drops with altitude in Britain. I saw people
staggering about up there in shorts, T-shirts, trainers, when the
conditions required glovces, a hat and windproof jacket. (And proper
hiking boots) There's very little shelter on the summit- just a tin
hut on top of the cairn that can only take 1 person at a time.

Edmund