Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. Ronald Turnbull

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      Heading up Allt a’ Mhuilinn to Ben Nevis

      As you reach the stream, your eventual descent path is opposite, but continue upstream for 600 metres through scenes of increasing grandeur to the Ben Nevis hut, formally the Charles Inglis Clark or CIC Hut. If it was in Austria, the hut would serve gassy beer and herbal tea on red-chequered tablecloths. Being in Scotland, it is owned by the Scottish Mountaineering Club and is locked up.

      Cross the stream 100 metres below the hut, and head down the well built path to its right (east). After 3km, a wide ladder stile leads to the top of a forest road. After 200 metres fork down left, and follow the road left over a bridge. It contours southwest for 1km, with fine views, until you can take the main track forking down to the right.

      At the slope foot it joins another track. Turn left for 200 metres, under power lines, until an overgrown stony path turns off right (NN 133 752). It is signed for the Distillery. It leads to a stream, and follows its left bank, under the railway. Then it runs along to the right of a whisky shed. Head out though the distillery’s main gate to the A82.

      Cross the A82 but not the Lochy Bridge ahead; instead turn sharp left onto a well-made path between the golf course (left) and the River Lochy (right). At a car park, bear right along the riverbank to Old Inverlochy Castle. Turn left, pass through the castle and back to the riverbank.

      Ahead, a lane takes you under the railway. Just past the end of the long Soldiers’ Bridge (footbridge) take a stile on the right, to reach a narrow bridge over a tailrace stream. Cross grass to join the smooth gravel path of the Great Glen Way. It runs near the wide, tidal river, then through woodland; then is again beside the Lochy for 400 metres. Finally it bends left around a wood to a tarred street.

      Turn left for a few steps, ignoring a rough riverside track to find a gravel path alongside houses. After 300 metres it drops to join Dubh MacDonald Road. At this street’s end, turn right in Earl of Inverness Road to the A82.

      The street opposite is signed for Ben Nevis Inn. Follow it for 100 metres, then cross a stone bridge on the right. Turn left, up Glen Nevis, and follow the pavement for 500 metres until a track forks off left to another footbridge, a green-painted metal one. Recross the River Nevis and turn right, upstream. In 300 metres the street bears left; here keep ahead on a riverside path. After 1km it brings you to the footbridge at the Visitor Centre.

ROUTE 11

      Meall an t-Suidhe

Start/Finish	Glen Nevis Visitor Centre (NN 123 730)
Distance	14.5km/9 miles (for circuit)
Total ascent	700m/2300ft
Time	5½hr
Terrain	Paths, grassy hillsides
Max altitude	Meall an t-Suidhe 711m

      As an alternative to visiting the northern corrie on Route 10, you can top out on Meall an t-Suidhe, a hill half as high as Ben Nevis but with rather better views as it’s out of the cloud more often and also closer to the rest of the scenery. It’s pronounced and sometimes spelt Melantee, the Hill of the Seat. The summit is grassy and peaceful and it is indeed comfy to sit down on. It can be done when you change your mind halfway up the Mountain Trail, or as a warm-down summit when descending the Ben towards the North Face car park (adding 1.5km, 150m, and 40mins to the descent from Ben Nevis).

      See map in Route 10. Start as for Route 10 from the Nevis Visitor Centre, and follow the Mountain Track until it levels onto the halfway plateau. At once turn off left.

      If descending from Ben Nevis

      Come down the zigzags of the Mountain Track and across the Red Burn, and at the path junction above the half-way loch turn back sharp left (all as Route 7). Before the path drops off the edge of the plateau, turn off right.

      Cross grassland past the head of Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe to cross the trickle flowing out of the loch (a proper stream flows from the other end, which is accordingly the foot of the loch). Head up the grassy and somewhat wet slope beyond, then turn right along the rounded crest, which dips then rises to the cairned summit of Meall an t-Suidhe.

      On Melantee (Meall an t-Suidhe), view to Loch Linnhe

      Descend northeast, on a rounded spur, with a small path vanishing. At the spur foot continue northeast, crossing a stream then following it down, to find the metal posts of an old deer fence (marked on Harveys map). A small path and quad-bike wheelmarks run alongside this. Follow it down north, to reach the Allt a’ Mhuilinn at the 300m contour. Cross the stream at the metal grating underneath a deer fence, to reach a ladder stile on the upward path – or if the stream is full, continue downstream for 150 metres to a bridge.

      Head down the track and path to the North Face car park, if that’s where you started, or else follow Route 10 through Fort William for the Nevis Visitor Centre.

ROUTE 12

      Carn Mor Dearg East Ridge

Start/Finish	End of public road, Glen Nevis (NN 167 691)
Distance	7km/4½ miles (to Nevis summit)
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