Editing Ben Nevis (section)

== Geography ==
Ben Nevis forms a [[massif]] with its neighbours to the northeast, {{lang|gd|italic=no|[[Càrn Mòr Dearg]]}}, to which it is linked by the {{lang|gd|italic=no|Càrn Mòr Dearg}} [[Arête]], {{lang|gd|italic=no|[[Aonach Beag]]}} and {{lang|gd|italic=no|[[Aonach Mòr]]}}.<ref name="Ordnance Survey 2002">{{harvnb|Ordnance Survey|2002}}</ref> All four are [[List of Munro mountains|Munros]].<ref name=hillbagging>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hill-bagging.co.uk/search.php?qu=S&gp=M04&ty=M&ct=S|title=Mountain Search|work=Hill Bagging|access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref>
[[File:Ben Nevis south face.jpg|thumb|left|The steep south face of Ben Nevis from {{lang|gd|italic=no|[[Sgurr a' Mhàim]]}}]]

The western and southern flanks of Ben Nevis rise {{convert|1200|m}} in about {{convert|2|km}} above the [[River Nevis]] flowing down Glen Nevis&nbsp;– the longest and steepest hill slope in Britain<ref name="Murray 1977">{{harvnb|Murray|1977}}</ref>&nbsp;– with the result that the mountain presents an aspect of massive bulk on this side. To the north, by contrast, cliffs drop some {{convert|600|m}} to {{lang|gd|italic=no|Coire Leis}} ({{IPA|gd|ˈkʰɔɾʲə ˈleʃ|IPA}}).<ref name="Ordnance Survey 2002">{{harvnb|Ordnance Survey|2002}}</ref>

In addition to the main {{convert|1345|m|ft|0|adj=mid}} summit, Ben Nevis has two subsidiary "tops" listed in [[Munro's Tables]], both of which are called {{lang|gd|italic=no|Càrn Dearg}} ("red hill").<ref name="Munros">{{cite book| author=Derek A. Bearhop | year=1997 | title=Munro's Tables | isbn=978-0-907521-53-2 | publisher=Scottish Mountaineering Club & Trust}}</ref> The higher of these, at {{convert|1221|m}}, is to the northwest, and is often mistaken for Ben Nevis itself in views from the Fort William area. The other {{lang|gd|italic=no|Càrn Dearg}} ({{convert|1020|m|abbr=on}}) juts out into Glen Nevis on the mountain's southwestern side. A lower hill, {{lang|gd|italic=no|[[Meall an t-Suidhe]]}} ({{convert|711|m}}), is further west, forming a saddle with Ben Nevis which contains a small [[loch]], {{lang|gd|italic=no|Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe}}. The tourist path from Glen Nevis skirts the side of this hill before ascending Ben Nevis's broad western flank.<ref name="Ordnance Survey 2002">{{harvnb|Ordnance Survey|2002}}</ref>

=== Summit ===
The summit of Ben Nevis comprises a large stony [[plateau]] of about {{convert|40|ha|-1}}.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9078533|title=Ben Nevis|access-date=25 November 2006|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica}} (Subscription required for full access.)</ref> The summit is an example of a [[felsenmeer]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Storer|first=Ralph|title=50 Shades of Hillwalking|location=United Kingdom|publisher=Luath Press Limited|year=2015}}</ref> a surface covered by rocks that are not exposed by [[mass wasting]]. The highest point is marked with a large, solidly built [[cairn]] atop which sits an Ordnance Survey [[trig point]]. The summit is the highest ground in any direction for {{convert|738.6|km|mi}} before the [[Scandinavian Mountains]] in western Norway are reached.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=330|title=Europe Peaks with 200 km of Isolation|publisher=Peakbagger|access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref>

The Peace Memorial, on the summit, is a cairn which was erected on [[V J Day]], 15 August 1945, by the Young Men's Class of Vicar Street Methodist Church, [[Dudley]], led by [[Bert Bissell]], "to the glory of God and in memory of the fallen of all races". They carried the materials, including a 2cwt memorial stone, to the summit. The inscription declares it to be "Britain's highest war memorial". A second plaque was added in 1965, brought by helicopter: "A tribute to the fallen of all nations from the youth associated with the World Federation of United Nations Associations and the International Student Movement of the United Nations." It is variously known as the Ben Nevis War Memorial, Ben Nevis Peace Memorial, or  The Fort William-Dudley Memorial and Peace Cairn<ref>{{cite web |title=Ben Nevis Peace Memorial |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/13464 |website=Imperial War Museums |access-date=27 October 2024 |language=en}} ''Includes images and transcriptions of the plaques''</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ben Nevis War Memorial |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/317302/ben-nevis-war-memorial |website=canmore.org.uk |publisher=[[Canmore (database)|Canmore]] |access-date=27 October 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Moranne-Brown |first1=Zyllah |title=Dudley Climbers celebrate Ben Nevis success |url=https://www.blackcountryradio.co.uk/news/local-headlines/dudley-climbers-celebrate-ben-nevis-success/ |access-date=27 October 2024 |work=Black Country Radio |language=en}}</ref> A 2006 proposal to move the cairn to the foot of the Ben, was opposed by people in both [[Fort William, Scotland|Fort William]] and Dudley.<ref>{{Cite news|title=War breaks out over peace cairn  |url=http://www.lochaber-news.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/469/War_breaks_out_over_peace_cairn.html|newspaper = The Oban Times: Lochaber News | date= 9 November 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216024812/http://www.lochaber-news.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/469/War_breaks_out_over_peace_cairn.html | archive-date=16 December 2007 | access-date=27 October 2024 }}</ref>

The view from the UK's highest point is extensive. Under ideal conditions, it can extend to over {{convert|190|km}}, including such mountains as the [[Torridon Hills]], [[Morven, Caithness|Morven]] in [[Caithness]], [[Lochnagar]], [[Ben Lomond]], [[Barra Head]] and to [[Knocklayd]] in [[County Antrim]], Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Viewfinder Panoramas|title=View from Ben Nevis looking North|url=http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/NEVIS-North.gif|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929132443/http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/NEVIS-North.gif|archive-date=2009-09-29|access-date=25 November 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=Viewfinder Panoramas|title=View from Ben Nevis looking South|url=http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/NEVIS-South.gif|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929132443/http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/GRW/NEVIS-South.gif|archive-date=2009-09-29|access-date=25 November 2006}}</ref>

In 2016, the height of Ben Nevis was officially remeasured to be 1344.527m by [[Ordnance Survey]]. The height of Ben Nevis will therefore be shown on new Ordnance Survey maps as {{convert|1,344.527|m|ft|0|adj=ri0}} instead of the now obsolete value of {{convert|1,344|m|ft|0|adj=ri0}}.<ref name="OS revision"/>

=== Climate ===
[[File:Ben Nevis.jpg|thumb|right|A temperature inversion around {{lang|gd|italic=no|Càrn Dearg}} Buttress and Castle Corrie.]]
Ben Nevis has a highland [[tundra climate]] (''ET'' in the [[Köppen classification]]). Ben Nevis's elevation, maritime location and topography frequently lead to cool and cloudy weather conditions, which can pose a danger to ill-equipped walkers. According to the observations carried out at the summit observatory from 1883 to 1904, fog was present on the summit for almost 80% of the time between November and January, and 55% of the time in May and June.<ref name="Roy">{{cite web|url=http://www.meteohistory.org/2004polling%5Fpreprints/docs/abstracts/roy2_poster.pdf|title=The Ben Nevis Meteorological Observatory 1883–1904|access-date=27 November 2006|author=Marjorie Roy|year=2004|publisher=International Commission on History of Meteorology|archive-date=27 September 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927043603/http://www.meteohistory.org/2004polling_preprints/docs/abstracts/roy2_poster.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The average winter temperature was around {{convert|-5|C}},<ref name="Roy"/> and the mean monthly temperature for the year was {{convert|-0.5|C}}.<ref name="Murray 1977 221">{{harvnb|Murray|1977|p=221}}</ref> In an average year the summit sees 261&nbsp;gales,<ref name="Murray 1977 221"/> and receives {{convert|4350|mm}} of rainfall, compared to only {{convert|2050|mm}} in nearby Fort William,<ref>{{cite book|author=Eric Langmuir|year=1995|title=Mountaincraft and Leadership |edition=Third |publisher=SportScotland |location=Edinburgh|isbn=978-1-85060-295-8}}</ref> {{convert|840|mm}} in [[Inverness]] and {{convert|580|mm}} in London. Rainfall on Ben Nevis is about twice as high in the winter as it is in the spring and summer. Snow can be found on the mountain for approximately 7 months out of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.highlifehighland.com/bennevis/fascinating-facts/|title=Fascinating Facts|work=Ben Nevis Visitor Centre|publisher=Highlife Highland|access-date=5 November 2024}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Ben Nevis (1883-1904: during existence of summit observatory)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan high C = -2.5
|Feb high C = -2.8
|Mar high C = -2.6
|Apr high C = -0.6
|May high C = 2.6
|Jun high C = 6.4
|Jul high C = 7.1
|Aug high C = 6.4
|Sep high C = 5.4
|Oct high C = 1.4
|Nov high C = 0.1
|Dec high C = -1.9
|year high C = 
|Jan mean F = 24.0
|Feb mean F = 23.8
|Mar mean F = 24.0
|Apr mean F = 27.6
|May mean F = 33.0
|Jun mean F = 39.7
|Jul mean F = 41.1
|Aug mean F = 40.4
|Sep mean F = 38.0
|Oct mean F = 31.4
|Nov mean F = 28.9
|Dec mean F = 25.2
|year mean F = 
|Jan low C = -6.2
|Feb low C = -6.4
|Mar low C = -6.3
|Apr low C = -4.3
|May low C = -1.6
|Jun low C = 2.1
|Jul low C = 3.1
|Aug low C = 2.9
|Sep low C = 1.4
|Oct low C = -2.1
|Nov low C = -3.5
|Dec low C = -5.5
|year low C = 
|Jan record high C = 9.1
|Feb record high C = 7.8
|Mar record high C = 7.8
|Apr record high C = 11.4
|May record high C = 13.3
|Jun record high C = 19.1
|Jul record high C = 17.8
|Aug record high C = 17.5
|Sep record high C = 17.0
|Oct record high C = 14.0
|Nov record high C = 11.1
|Dec record high C = 7.2
|year record high C = 
|Jan record low C = -17.4
|Feb record low C = -16.8
|Mar record low C = -15.8
|Apr record low C = -11.5
|May record low C = -9.8
|Jun record low C = -5.1
|Jul record low C = -3.2
|Aug record low C = -2.8
|Sep record low C = -7.6
|Oct record low C = -9.8
|Nov record low C = -12.1
|Dec record low C = -13.8
|year record low C = 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 469.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 342.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 378.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 237.2
|May precipitation mm = 204.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 193.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 269.8
|Aug precipitation mm = 331.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 391.6
|Oct precipitation mm = 397.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 394.8
|Dec precipitation mm = 492.3
|year precipitation mm = 4103.8
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 22.4
|Feb precipitation days = 16.8
|Mar precipitation days = 20.1
|Apr precipitation days = 16.5
|May precipitation days = 17.0
|Jun precipitation days = 16.1
|Jul precipitation days = 21.0
|Aug precipitation days = 22.0
|Sep precipitation days = 20.0
|Oct precipitation days = 21.9
|Nov precipitation days = 20.4
|Dec precipitation days = 21.3
|year precipitation days = 235.3
|Jan sun = 22.4
|Feb sun = 42.3
|Mar sun = 54.7
|Apr sun = 80.4
|May sun = 116.3
|Jun sun = 127.0
|Jul sun = 84.8
|Aug sun = 58.1
|Sep sun = 62.3
|Oct sun = 41.8
|Nov sun = 27.8
|Dec sun = 18.0
|year sun = 
|Jan percentsun = 10
|Feb percentsun = 16
|Mar percentsun = 15
|Apr percentsun = 19
|May percentsun = 23
|Jun percentsun = 22
|Jul percentsun = 16
|Aug percentsun = 13
|Sep percentsun = 16
|Oct percentsun = 13
|Nov percentsun = 11
|Dec percentsun = 9
|year percentsun = 16
|source 1 = CEDA Archive<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://data.ceda.ac.uk/badc/deposited2019/operation-weather-rescue/data/ben-nevis-data/ben-nevis/daily
| title = Meteorological Observations taken from Ben Nevis and Fort William (1883 -1904)
| publisher = Centre for Environmental Data Analysis
| accessdate = January 19, 2023
}}</ref>
|source 2 = Royal Society of Edinburgh (mean temp and sunshine 1884-1903)<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://archive.org/details/transactionsofro43roya/page/506/mode/2up
| title = Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: The Meteorology of the Ben Nevis Observations
| publisher = [[Royal Society of Edinburgh]]
| accessdate = January 19, 2023
}}</ref>
}}