Ben Nevis via the CMD arete route details

Car parking and starting the route

The route starts at the North Face Car Park in Torlundy, just outside Fort William. Parking is £3 for the day (correct at time of writing Feb 2025) and can be paid using the RingGo app. There are no public toilets here and I recommend arriving early to secure a space.

Public transport option: buses stop at Torlundy on request.

The path to the CMD arete, heads out of the car park and up through the forest following the winding, way-marked trail towards the North Face of Ben Nevis. At the top edge of the forest, the views open up down to Fort William and infront of you to Ben Nevis. Keep following the signs for ‘North Face and CIC Hut”, crossing a stile and onto the well maintained path.

Section 1; up onto the summit of Càrn Mòr Dearg

The path follows Allt a’Mhuilinn, on the left side of the river before a boggy fork cuts off to the left. Keep an eye out for this and don’t miss it! This is the beginning of the ascent up Càrn Mòr Dearg, a 1220m peak before the arete. This section gets incredibly boggy so gaiters are a good option. The path gets less boggy further up but it’s a long slog with some false summits along the way until you finally reach the summit. The views here are spectacular and its a great place to stop and rest and to ponder the CMD arete laid out infront of you.

Section 2; the CMD arete

After a short downhill, loose scree section to get into the ridge, the arete is best tackled by sticking to the crest of the ridge. Some small scrambling may be involved but a confident or experienced hiker will most likely find themselves not having to use their hands along the ridge. There is a bypass path to the left of the ridge if needed.

The arete is incredible, made up of large boulders and rocks to walk across and the views seem to get better and better; be sure to stop and look back at what you’ve covered every now and again. Towards the end of the arete it curves to the right where there is one narrow section with steep drop off each side before climbing again to a flat section and a cairn. This marks the end of the main arete.

Section 3; Up to the summit of Ben Nevis

From the cairn, the route heads up a slight right over a huge boulder field with an intermittent scree path. This section is tough going and can be tricky to navigate.

Eventually, you’ll pop out onto the flat summit plateau of Ben Nevis with the trig point and hut awaiting you. Don’t be shocked by the inevitable crowds on the summit and some confused faces as they try to work out where you came from. Theres some incredible views back down towards Fort William and on a nice day, it’s great to watch the climbers tackling Tower Ridge, a grade 3 scramble/climbing route to the summit.

Section 4; Descending Ben Nevis

From the summit, the path zig zags down the mountain along the main ‘Mountain Track’ and you’ll probably be weaving in and out of the crowds as you make your way down. In clear conditions, the path is easy to follow but on poor weather days or in snow, it is easy to become disorientated and stray from the path. Be sure you have a solid navigation method and don’t rely on Google Maps. There are some huge drops if you head in the wrong direction into nearby gullies. Following the zig zag path will lead you steadily down the mountain, crossing infront of Red Burn and heading stright ahead then left at a fork taking you to the far edge of Lochan Meall an t’Suidhe or The Halfway Lochan as it’s also known.

Section 5; Navigating back to the North Face Car Park

From the far edge of the loch, there is a slight hint of a way down before it becomes pathless. The descent can be boggy and uneven and every now and again you’ll pick up signs of a path again. Follow a NNE bearing down towards Allt a’Mhuillin again. This river can be impassable in full flow but further downstream there is a stile over a deer fence which takes you onto a bridge and a track leading you back to the path down through the forest.

Retrace your steps down the forest back to the car park.

How hard is the CMD Arete?

How hard something is can be a really tricky question to answer because the definition of ‘hard’ is different for everyone. This is a serious route, involving pathless sections, exposure, steep ascents, scrambling sections, uneven paths, a narrow ridge section, rough terrain and is a very long and demanding day. For an experienced hiker with some experience on ridges, you’ll likely wonder what the fuss is about but this isn’t a route I’d recommend to beginners. If unsure, it’s always a good choice to hire a local guide to take you.

When is the best time of year to hike the CMD arete?

For a hiker, I’d save this for the best weather day. In clear and dry conditions, it really is one of the best routes out there with the most incredible views. The weather on Ben Nevis is SO changeable and snow can remain on the mountain even into May! The CMD arete is a great route for late Spring, Summer and early Autumn but always check the local weather. In fog, mist, cloud and rain you’ll need to be confident with your navigation and current competence to complete the route.

Take a look at this video of the CMD arete and be sure to let me know if you’ve done this route or if it’s one you plan on doing soon.

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