Tower Ridge is a sweeping 600-metre spine of rock that cuts down the mountain’s north face from just below the summit plateau. It is Ben Nevis’s most iconic line - long, exposed, and absolutely spectacular. It is a route that commands respect in any season. Dark, glean, and the most rewarding climb I’ve ever completed.
One guidebook read, "One of the finest mountaineering expeditions in the British Isles. Depending on the conditions, all degrees of difficulty may be encountered with many of the major obstacles being met high on the route. Tower Ridge has repulsed strong and experienced parties, and should not be under-rated. Benightments occur with monotonous regularity and 6 to 10hrs should be allowed for an ascent. The main difficulties are over however, once Tower Gap has been crossed. Early in the season, when coated in powder snow and verglas, Tower Ridge may be very time-consuming."
To give another impression, Damon Ritchie's video below surmises the route in full. We watched this the night before our climb and I remember, for a fleeting moment, with sweaty palms, thinking, What have I got myself into...
First climbed in 1894 by J.N. Collie, G.A. Solly, and J. Collier, Tower Ridge is legendary. From what I’ve read on Wiki, in winter it’s a pretty formidable Grade IV - the scene of countless rescues as well as hard-won summits. In summer, however, stripped of snow, it becomes a Grade 3 scramble interspersed with pitches of “Difficult” rock climbing (depending on conditions). The moves themselves are never extreme but, well, they are certainly very exposed.
The hardest ground sits high on the ridge - not a place to discover your limits late in the day. Even in summer, Ben Nevis’s mountain rescue team are regularly called to assist those who underestimate the commitment of the route. In fact, Ben Nevis is considered treacherous by world standards due to its harsh weather and dangerous conditions, resulting in an average of around three deaths per year - although this number fluctuates significantly. Fatal falls in steep gullies, like No. 5, are not unheard of. Actually, when we arrived in Assynt a week or so after climbing Ben Nevis, we learned that this year’s Scottish rescue callouts reached the highest numbers on record. Fortunately, we weren't one of the parties listed.
The start The day began at the North Face carpark, a few kilometres north of Fort William. We opted for the Glen Nevis Caravan & Camping Park for its proximity and amenability (I stayed here during my Ring of Steall adventure - the place only gets high praise from me!). From the carpark, a clear trail climbs steadily through a forest of pine where, beyond the stile, the path follows the Allt a’ Mhuilinn stream. Moving quickly in mind of midges, we refilled our bottles here in prep for the long day ahead. The waterway winds gently through heather and boulders toward the famous CIC Hut - which sits tucked beneath the towering cliffs of the North Face.
The walk up takes around two hours, and as we emerged into Coire Leis the mist that had so far swathed our way cleared - giving us a brief glimpse of the climb ahead. Tower Ridge, rising diagonally from left to right, looks impossibly steep from down below.
Douglas Gap The approach from the CIC Hut to the foot of the ridge is straightforward, with only modest height gain. Most climbers head for the Douglas Gap, the low point between the Douglas Boulder and the main ridge, which marks the traditional start. There are a few ways to reach it. We took the East Gully of Douglas Gap (an easy snow gully in winter, a loose scramble in summer). We donned our helmets and began the ascent up the scree Gap.
And it was here, at this point, having barely set foot on the ridge, when I experienced the day’s first (and strongest) wave of height intolerance – or visual intolerance to height. My hand slipped on some loose rock halfway up the gully, and with a sickening lurch I watched as the shards cascaded down the sharp, slippery slope below. I panicked and clung tightly to dry rock. When I finally reached the top of the scramble, I had to take several large, steadying breaths to counter the vertigo. As someone new to climbing, I’ve noticed that sensation with every outing - though its intensity seems to lessen the more mentally prepared I am. Feeling it so intensely (and unexpectedly) right at the start of Tower Ridge threw me a little... Fortunately, my partner Funs - a brilliant climber and at crux points the kindest, most soothing presence - coaxed me back on track. However, this “crack in the façade” left me vulnerable to several small fissures of distress along the way. I tried to desensitise myself as the route went on, but even so... I have come to accept that fear is workable. Rather than trying to eliminate it entirely, I've learned to manage it - to keep it from becoming paralysing.
My partner calls it "fear juice". Climbing is as much a psychological pursuit as it is a physical one. You can will yourself through all sorts of challenges - drawing on whatever reserve of fear juice you have left. But when the vessel is empty, that's it, you're done. It’s funny how the mind works.
In any case we then pulled out the rope and scaled the well-polished 20m chimney out of Douglas Gap. According to gman on Walk Highlands (link above) there are sections of the North Buttress harder than this chimney, and yet it's sometimes described as the most difficult point of the route. We found the chimney very juggy - all the holds are there. Although the ascent from the gap looks difficult, it really isn’t. Up top, the crest is quite narrow and almost level, but soon steepens to a short overhanging wall. The route wanders slightly out to the right beneath steep walls, then cuts back left again to gain the ridge overlooking Vanishing Gully. In my opinion, this scrambly section leading up to a further level section where two small depressions are crossed, the second being the top to the Great Chimney, was far more challenging than the climb up to the Gap. But this might have had something to do with exposure - at least the chimney was protected.
Little Tower Some 50m beyond this lies the Little Tower. The rock here is solid, blocky, and surprisingly friendly underfoot, but the sense of scale is, well, pretty immediate. From here, the line is clear: a long, airy scramble up the spine of the mountain. Slabs and crampon scratches marked the way.
The Little Tower rises in a series of steep steps and slabs, which we completed in one pitch roped up. The climbing wasn't hard, but it’s steep enough to keep you honest, haha. Taking rest stops during the climb to conserve energy and composure are increasingly important. Once above it, the ridge eases briefly into a 'long flattish section' of 100m or so leading to the Great Tower, where we followed the Eastern Traverse route up.
The Great Tower and the Eastern Traverse The Great Tower is where Tower Ridge really earns its reputation. Direct lines over the face are serious climbs in their own right. The infamous Eastern Traverse, an exposed horizontal ledge that cuts across the left flank of the tower is, in winter, difficult to navigate through metres of snow. As we edged our way along the cliff face, Funs explained that several mountaineers find this section a stumbling block in the winter, being so very narrow with its yawning void below. This point in the climb is a contender for the most exposed walk in the country.
The traverse curves around an edge to an alcove with a rift at the back - "the fallen-block chimney" or "the flake chimney". The cave is on the right and leads to the Great Tower. At this point, gman indicates that it is possible to escape off the Ridge via the Tower Bypass. But this would mean missing out the Great Tower and Tower Gap. So, putting claustrophobic thoughts aside, we squeezed and bridged our way up the awkward cave. Emerging from the rift, we climbed steep, exposed steps on big holds to the top of the Great Tower. For this part, we got the rope out once again and took on the series of ledges (some pretty steep moves!) which deposited us on top of the Great Tower.
Whilst slowly making my way up the wall, digging my toes and fingers into stony cervices, one hold at a time, voices from the summit of Ben Nevis broke through my concentration. Although we were at that point quite some distance away, on the ridge opposite an excited throng of onlookers were commenting on our progress! Their voices were being carried across on the wind. “Look, look!” “What are they doing?” “Wow, that’s sooo cool!” Curious, I glanced quickly behind me and saw several small figures gawking at the edge of the precipice, pointing, sunlight glinting off binoculars. I chuckled, “Yes, kid, this is freaking cool.”
Tower Gap and the Final Crest The route is now uncomfortably obvious. From the top of the Great Tower, the ridge narrows dramatically into the notorious Tower Gap and the steep arête beyond. Seen from above, the Gap looks alarmingly deep - a sharp cleft cutting right through the ridge, where plummeting rock on either side reaches ominously hundreds of metres into the abyss. As an additional handhold, we looped a sling of roughly 2m around a large boulder at the top.
The down-climb into the gap is as steep as it is scary, demanding careful footwork… And, trust me, nothing beats the feeling of stepping blindly backwards into air, flailing desperately for an unseen foothold, faithfully following your partner’s direction. This, and afterwards lunging across the Gap towards your partner waiting on the other side, is certainly one way to bolster trust in a relationship. (A hearty tip for marriage counsellors.) For good indication, watch Ritchie's video from 1.06:13. (Although bear in mind that the stone he steps down onto is no longer there!)
The final section is a relief: after one more roped up pitch it was easy scrambling on solid rock, the ground levelling out as you approach the stony dome of the Ben Nevis summit plateau. We made it. Within a few minutes of topping out, the cairns and trig point came into view. The visibility was clear, and we basked proudly in a long, satisfying moment - after hours of exposure and concentration, to look out onto the long, skeletal Ridge you've just conquered, is such a golden sensation.
The descent Of course, reaching the top is only half the job. Ben Nevis’s summit plateau can be confusing in poor visibility, and the gullies that carve its northern edge are steep and unforgiving. On clear days, the easiest way down is via the Pony Track (Red Burn route) on the southern side. We followed this, avoiding the infamous Five Fingered Gully, and eventually back to the Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe - a straightforward but frustrating descent on scree slopes. Then we bounced off-road through pillows of heather until we reached the familiar sight of Allt a’Mhuilinn, where we crossed the river via stepping stones before re-joining the forest route back to Torlundy.
Reflections Climbing Tower Ridge in summer is a full mountain day – it took us roughly 12 hours from car to summit and back, and we were relatively slow. Ideally, we would have liked to start a bit earlier, as we ended the last kilometre trekking in the dusk. A helmet, harness, and rope are necessary; while many sections can be scrambled unroped, having protection for the cruxes adds a margin of safety.
Even in summer, conditions on Ben Nevis can change pretty rapidly. Rain or mist can turn friendly rock into a slippery nightmare, make route finding incredibly difficult, and cloud can erase visibility in seconds. Check the forecast, carry a map and compass, and know your bearings before you start. For detailed topographical notes, the descriptions on SummitPost, UKClimbing, and Walkhighlands are all excellent references.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Tower Ridge is one of the UK’s greatest mountaineering routes. It is a climb that delivers everything: exposure, history, breath-taking beauty, and a deep sense of satisfaction. Standing on the summit, looking down at the ribbon of rock you’ve just followed from the depths of Coire Leis to the roof of Britain, makes you understand why so many people come here.
I’d love to do it again. When I’m more sure of my skills. Perhaps in the snow. What do you think, Funs?
Disclaimer
Blogger:
Photographs: unless otherwise noted, all images were taken by Funs and me with a Google Pixel 9 Pro xl and an Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
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