2014-2019
Ben Nevis Mountain Path Repair
The Ben Nevis Mountain path was originally constructed in 1883 to provide access to the Observatory and, soon to be built, hotel on the summit. The Observatory was open from 1883 to 1904 with the hotel staying in use until 1916 . At that time, it was used by pack ponies as well as pedestrians who included many sightseers to the summit, the Observatory and the Hotel. There was a charge of one shilling for use of the path and 3 shillings for the hire of a pony and guide. Now there is no charge for the use of the path but visitors are encouraged to donate to the upkeep of the Nevis area.
As part of the plan to repair the path from Achintee to Johns Wall the most eroded and difficult sections by the lower zig zags, from the Youth Hostel junction to the newly replaced bridge, provided by Rio Tinto the land owners at the time, were tackled first.
There were many sections of severely braided routes avoiding the eroded and unstable remains of the footpath. These were very successfully landscaped after the path upgrade and have subsequently regenerated.
The lower sections involve much landscaping to block the numerous alternative routes that have evolved due to the poor state of the path and the sheer volume of traffic in these lower sections.
The maintenance and repair of the route in our 10 year plan should ensure the quality of build is preserved with care beyond this already planned.
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