# Ben Nevis Observatory - Scotland - Oct 2010 -



## georgie (Oct 4, 2010)

*info taken from* http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/ 

In 1877 the President of the Royal Meteorological Society proposed that 'mountain observatories on isolated peaks' should be established. The Ben Nevis Observatory was opened on the 17th October 1883 with data collection starting on 28 November of that year. The project was funded mostly by private donors, including Queen Victoria, and was run by the Scottish Meteorological Society and the Royal Societies of Edinburgh and London.

The building was manned by a superintendent and two assistants who were responsible for taking hourly readings of the office barometer, the outdoor thermometers, rainfall, cloud and wind notes. They also made observations about the depth of snow, atmospheric dust, ozone, rainband, earth currents, duration of sunshine and earthquakes or tremors when appropriate. The results were telegraphed to the town below, where they were used to warn shipping of storms and gales in the Atlantic.

Insufficient funds and conflicting scientific evidence regarding the importance of the Observatory led to its closure in 1904


*i know its not exactly urbex as such but thought this place may interest some people ,standing at 4,409 ft above sea level and the highest point in the british isles its the highest ruin there is to see 

other things include britains highest war memorial for the dead of world war 2

also a storm shelter on top of the observatory tower which makes it britains highest man made structure
*

*info taken from wikipedia*

The summit of Ben Nevis comprises a large stony plateau of about 40 hectares (100 acres).The highest point is marked with a large, solidly built cairn atop which sits an Ordnance Survey trig point.

The ruined walls of the observatory are a prominent feature on the summit. An emergency shelter has been built on top of the observatory tower for the benefit of those caught out by bad weather, and, although the base of the tower is slightly lower than the true summit of the mountain, the roof of the shelter overtops the trig point by several feet, making it the highest man-made structure in the UK. A war memorial to the dead of World War II is located 

*after a wet night camping bleak ascent and cold,wet and pissed off 9 of us made it to the top after walking in cloud for hours*


*mods feel free to delete this if it doesnt meet the exploring criteria*


*pic and info taken from ben nevis.com taken 1910*

Around 1894, probably in response to the arrival of the West Highland Railway in Fort William and the subsequent rush of tourists to the area, an enterprising local hotelier decided to open a small hotel on the summit of Ben Nevis. The Temperance Hotel as it would generally come to be called, was annexed to the main observatory building and was run on behalf of the hotelier by two sisters who kept it open throughout the summer months. 







*pic and info taken from museumvictoria.com*

a look inside the observatory






*pic taken from ben nevis.com*

The Pony Track was built in 1883 as an access route for the Observatory. The main contractor for the project was James McLean of Fort William and the last rise on to the summit on the path is named McLean's Steep in his honour.

Commonly referred to these days as the Tourist Route or the Tourist Path (although actually called the Mountain Path), this route up Ben Nevis is testament to it's construction as it has survived with very little maintenance, until recently, when conservation work was done on the path.






the way up just inside the clouds











off the beaten track it gets worse






after hours of walking this was the first glimpse of the observatory













































inside the storm shelter















heres the war memorial


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## hydealfred (Oct 5, 2010)

Two of my favorite subjects - derelict buildings and mountain tops. To have the two together - nice one. I see the summit had its head in the clouds as is fairly usual. When I went up there it was clear which is something that happens on only about 60 days a year. 

Someone once drove a car up Ben Nevis if you can believe that


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## El Supremo (Oct 5, 2010)

hydealfred said:


> Two of my favorite subjects - derelict buildings and mountain tops. :



Couldn't agree more fella, back out to Cortina next year


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## BenCooper (Oct 5, 2010)

There is a tale (possibly apocryphal) that the most junior meteorologist was sent down to Fort Bill every morning to get the milk


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## DubbedNavigator (Oct 5, 2010)

BenCooper said:


> There is a tale (possibly apocryphal) that the most junior meteorologist was sent down to Fort Bill every morning to get the milk



8 hours to get some milk?

Take it they only had 1 cup of coffee a day then....


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## BenCooper (Oct 5, 2010)

8 hours? An hour down, 3-4 hours back up - you'd be back for lunch...

Edit: I dug out a book I have about the observatory, and there's no mention of this story - there is, however, a mention of a Mr Wragge who, as a proof-of-concept before the observatory was built, climbed the mountain every day for 5 months to take readings!


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## chaoticreason (Oct 5, 2010)

I think it is urbex! I have walked up Ben Nevis twice (I don't know why twice; with so many other gorgeous peaks surrounding that I could have scaled) and had know idea there had once been an observatory there.
Great history love the old shots,but what is all the mist about? I go fishing; not climbing when it's misty.

I remember climbing Helvellyn/striding edge in the mist replete with horizontal rain with my sister when we were kids.We got to the top only to find these two idiot tourists with no waterproofs and wearing 'sandles' stuck on the top in a state of bewildered stupification.I was only about seventeen,but I remember giving them a boll....g for being so stupid.I had to leave my sister on the summit till I could navigate to a path that I knew would take them down safely to a road which lead to a pub.I climbed back up to my sister and we carried on with a cliff on one side and gentle slope on the other,to (if memory serves me correctly Grisdale tarn) there we bivvied for the night,I was loving it all the wildness the danger,nobody for miles hell! I was in my element as I thought was my sister.
Years later talking over those few wild days up the lake district,my sister told me she had been absolutely terrified the whole time.She hid it well.
Anyhow! great report that brings back a lot of great memories.Cheers.


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## Fuzzypiggy (Oct 5, 2010)

Now that's a serious Urbexer! LOL! Is Ben Nevis the highest mountain in the UK? That's a serious climb I can imagine. Great report, well done!


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## chaoticreason (Oct 5, 2010)

Yes it is the highest point in British Isles, ....and true urbex spirit too match.


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## Captain-Slow (Oct 5, 2010)

Now that really is dedication. I tip my hat to you for putting the legwork in to shooting those pics.

Did you leave any kind of 'we've been here' marker up there?


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## tommo (Oct 5, 2010)

Captain-Slow said:


> Now that really is dedication. I tip my hat to you for putting the legwork in to shooting those pics.



to true its no walk in the park and a great achievement


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## DubbedNavigator (Oct 5, 2010)

BenCooper said:


> 8 hours? An hour down, 3-4 hours back up - you'd be back for lunch...
> 
> Edit: I dug out a book I have about the observatory, and there's no mention of this story - there is, however, a mention of a Mr Wragge who, as a proof-of-concept before the observatory was built, climbed the mountain every day for 5 months to take readings!



It took me just over 7 hours there and back

An hour on the way down? thats a bit of a mission, dont get me wrong i never timed the descent but i certainly dont think it was that quick

The way down was certainly harder than going up


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## hydealfred (Oct 5, 2010)

On one of my climbs in Scotland a mate and myself went up Ben More (Not the one on Mull). On the way up we came across aircraft wreakage. This turned out be a Viscount airliner on a test flight out of Glasgow. The crash occurred in 1974 so a only a few bits left now. I have a few shots but not enough to post. 

The report into the crash makes interesting reading and you have to wonder why it happened. 

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/sites/aaib/publications/formal_reports/4_1974__g_aohi.cfm


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## zimbob (Oct 5, 2010)

Ah, nice 

Be caeful poking about in there though, there's a few _nasty_ surprises lurking amongst that stonework


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## DubbedNavigator (Oct 5, 2010)

zimbob said:


> Ah, nice
> 
> Be caeful poking about in there though, there's a few _nasty_ surprises lurking amongst that stonework



Bessie has a brother?


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## El Supremo (Oct 6, 2010)

zimbob said:


> Ah, nice
> 
> Be caeful poking about in there though, there's a few _nasty_ surprises lurking amongst that stonework


Too true! its like a minefield.Talking to a guide up there he said one of the gullies closeby is awash with it too, as it used to connected to the observatory drains. You'd have thought with the weather up there gets it would be long gone. Be aware of notorious "five finger gully" on descent - has claimed many lives with people mistakenly wandering off Pony track.
Interesting banal fact- If Ben Nevis was 100m higher it would have a glacier on its summit


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## hydealfred (Oct 6, 2010)

El Supremo said:


> Too true! its like a minefield.Talking to a guide up there he said one of the gullies closeby is awash with it too, as it used to connected to the observatory drains. You'd have thought with the weather up there gets it would be long gone. Be aware of notorious "five finger gully" on descent - has claimed many lives with people mistakenly wandering off Pony track.
> Interesting banal fact- If Ben Nevis was 100m higher it would have a glacier on its summit



Carn Mor Dearg Arete - now there's a good route


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## night crawler (Oct 7, 2010)

Great report though it is a pity there was so much mist about but gives the place a forboading feel, I wonder what it looks like on a clear day.


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## Foxylady (Oct 7, 2010)

That's a helluvan achievement. Really interesting stuff too. 
The highest I've climbed is Snowdonia (the hardest way, I hasten to add, lol) which was covered in fog at the time too, so I've no tales to add, but I enjoyed reading everyone else's.
Love the opening old photos and history too. Excellent.


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## El Supremo (Oct 7, 2010)

Foxylady said:


> The highest I've climbed is Snowdonia (the hardest way, I hasten to add, lol QUOTE]
> Presume you went over Crib Goch, one of my all time favourites  Even better in the dark when doing Welsh 3000s, well trippy watching the head torches "dancing" along the ridge


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## El Supremo (Oct 7, 2010)

hydealfred said:


> Carn Mor Dearg Arete - now there's a good route


Happy days fella  part of memorable week spent up there, including Aonach Eagach, "Buckle" and top nights in Clacheig


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## Foxylady (Oct 7, 2010)

El Supremo said:


> Presume you went over Crib Goch, one of my all time favourites...


Not sure of the name, tbh, as it was a _very_ long time ago. Mention of the ridge is familiar though, and I was struck by how the easy way down was a stroll in the park by comparison.


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## El Supremo (Oct 7, 2010)

Foxylady said:


> Not sure of the name, tbh, as it was a _very_ long time ago. Mention of the ridge is familiar though, and I was struck by how the easy way down was a stroll in the park by comparison.


Sounds like you went over Crib Goch, with descent by Pyg track/Miners or Llanberis path  Have "tiptoed" over top of Crib Goch on glorious autumn day buzzing over mere mortals "crabbing along" but was crestfallen after later seeing footage of guy on mountain bike make traverse


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## georgie (Oct 7, 2010)

cheers for the replies people it was one hell of a trek soaked from start to finish 

was good to get to the top and in that shelter and change my clothes

heres a few i took a while ago traversing crib goch in similar conditions


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## El Supremo (Oct 7, 2010)

georgie said:


> traversing crib goch in similar conditions
> ​



Nice one fella, thought avatar of you was on Crib Goch, but was slightly thrown by cool halo behind you and the fact i badly need to get some glasses. Happy hunting 
"Its like traversing the spine of the first born of time" (don't know who said that but my climbing partner quotes it every time we've been up there)​


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## hydealfred (Oct 7, 2010)

Do any fellow Scottish hillwalking DPer's remember Killin Youth Hostel. Closed under the rationalisation of Scottish YH's and then semi demolished. Absolute travisty as such a wonderful place. Spent many an hour here, especially one evening when I drank far to much beer and then climbed 3 Munro's with a hangover  Happy days 

Sorry about some of the quality of shots as taken through windows. 

After closure before partial demolition 






and after


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## El Supremo (Oct 8, 2010)

hydealfred said:


> Do any fellow Scottish hillwalking DPer's remember Killin Youth Hostel.
> 
> Unfortunately never made it there, have only made a few trips to Scotland as Snowdonia "on doorstep". Still, drives me mad to see buildings/facilities like these go, but have to admit am in some small way part of the problem as often bivvy out or use bothies.


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## georgie (Oct 8, 2010)

that hostel looked a good place indeed good pics m8


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